The NWSL marked its return from a World Cup break two weeks ago, but the headlines keep getting bigger for the league as the summer wears on. The 2026 regular season has already delivered a record-breaking game in New York City, and now the league will welcome back one of its biggest stars to its newest club, Denver Summit.
U.S. women’s national team captain Lindsey Heaps is officially rostered with Denver and available for this weekend’s match against third-place side Portland Thorns FC. Heaps ‘ contract was announced back in January, but she was still under contract status with OL Lyonnes. Now, after months of waiting, Summit fans could see her suit up for the first time on Saturday (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
The match is part of a CBS NWSL doubleheader. After Denver and Portland square off, fans can stay tuned to watch Bay FC and North Carolina Courage.
Lindsey Heaps is back in NWSL
A Colorado native, Lindsey Heaps is on the verge of suiting up for her home state club. From Golden, Colorado, Heaps played youth club soccer with the Colorado Rush, based in the Denver area, before leaving the state to join Paris Saint-Germain in 2012 at 18 years old. She returned to the United States to play for the Portland Thorns in 2016.
“I’m incredibly excited to come home to Colorado and join Denver Summit FC,” Heaps said in January. “This club represents something special, not just for the league, but for this community and for the next generation of players growing up here … I can’t wait to begin this next chapter in Denver this summer.”
Now it’s a double homecoming. Back to Colorado and the NWSL. After five seasons in France, where she won 10 trophies, including the 2022 UEFA Women’s Champions League, Heaps is back in NWSL and will now face her former club. She was previously with the Portland Thorns for six seasons and scored 31 goals over 105 appearances.
She won NWSL MVP in 2018 and helped lead the Thorns to the 2017 NWSL Championship and two NWSL Shields in 2016 and 2021. The club announced on Thursday that Heaps is officially on the active roster and is eligible to play beginning this weekend.
“We are thrilled to officially welcome Lindsey home to Colorado,” said Denver Summit FC Head Coach Nick Cushing. “Lindsey’s return to the NWSL is an exciting moment for our club, our supporters, and the broader Colorado soccer community. Lindsey’s world-class talent and leadership will make an immediate impact both on the field and in our locker room, and we can’t wait to see her wear the crest and take the pitch for the first time.”
Her arrival could be coming at a crucial time for Denver, who are on a two-game winless streak after returning from the World Cup break.
Denver’s rocky road
The club’s inaugural season has already delivered some memorable moments for the team and fans. Denver Summit produced a record breaking home opener, drawing 63,004 fans to Empower Field at Mile High. It’s a record that surpassed the NWSL attendance record by more than 20,000 and currently stands as the largest, despite other record crowds for unique special events at MLB stadiums, including Wrigley Field, Oracle Park, and, recently, Citi Field.
But if the Summit want to keep making history, then they will need to crank up the performances in the second half of the season. The squad will officially tap into the second half of the schedule in just two games. With 13 matches already behind them, they are in 10th place, in a 16-team league, just four points out from the playoff line.
At the beginning of the season, Denver earned some early clout for scraping out draws and wins against title winners and playoff contenders, though when it comes to tackling teams in the lower half of the table alongside them, Denver have struggled. It’s part of what makes the NWSL such a standout league, but it also raises questions about the Summit’s ability to contend further down the stretch of the season.
The Summit suffered a blowout, 3-0, loss against sixth-place Kansas City Current in the first game back from break, and followed that up with a 2-2 draw against 13th-place Houston Dash.
“I think we don’t win the game on moments. Like we knew, [Houston] were going to try and play in transition, try and hit us on counterattack, and that’s the type of team they are. And I think, the first goal is too cheap. The second goal is too. Their moments all come from cheap moments. And Kansas, isn’t. You look at Kansas. We didn’t deserve to win the Kansas game, but we gifted them some moments and some goals,” said Cushing.
“I say to the team every day, it’s meant to be difficult. This is the highest level of the game. This is professional football. You can change countries. You can go to Germany, or France, or England. That’s just your opinion that that league might be better. But this is the highest level. It’s meant to be difficult. So you’ve got to be on your game every week because if you drop the ball down and you’re out of position, they’ll put the ball on the side, put it in the box, and it’ll be two-two. We’ve got to get better at those moments,” he said.
Reaching the top of the mountain
While there’s no one in the locker room hitting a panic button, there is an understandable sense of urgency and belief in Denver and their second half of the season. The group bought into the coaching staff and tactical principles early on and it’s paid off in moments.
Cushing is sticking to his process for now, though he’s not shying away from changing things up when he feels it’s necessary. He’ll have to, considering Heaps is a starting-caliber player and now eligible for gameday lineups.
“The process has got us here, right? So, you know, we can think of changing the system. We changed the lineup [against Houston] right? Probably the biggest lineup change I’ve done. Gave some players some opportunity that haven’t had it. I’ll stick to the process, and like I say, I think for me to go from being a good team to a great team is about being deliberate, and it’s about really taking accountability and responsibility and doing a little bit more,” Cushing said after the team’s draw against Houston.
“If you have a good game, you’ve got to go and look at how you can have a great game. And if you’ve had two chances, how do you get four chances? … If I’m a number nine, or if I’m an opposite winger, or if I’m a 10 getting in the box and I’m not getting a lot of offensive volume from their moments. I’m going to go work at why.
“So as a player, you’ve got to ask yourself how you’re going to get there, and as coaches, you’ve got to put us under pressure, and make sure that you are the player that’s getting there, and then the team will always benefit from that. So good [against Houston] but I agree a little bit, we need, there’s something missing that will take us that next step.”
The club, coach, and locker room can be hopeful; maybe that something extra will, in fact, be Lindsey Heaps.
How to watch Denver Summit FC vs. Portland Thorns
Date: Saturday, July 18 | Time: 2 p.m. ET
Location: Centennial Stadium — Centennial, Colorado
TV: CBS | Live stream: Paramount+
How to watch Bay FC vs. North Carolina Courage
Date: Saturday, July 18 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: PayPal Park — San Jose, California
TV: CBS | Live stream: Paramount+
