Utah Royals to return as National Women's Soccer League's 13th team next season

The Royals are returning to Utah and the National Women's Soccer League.

The NWSL and Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake announced the second iteration of the Utah Royals on Saturday. The Royals were part of the NWSL for three seasons from 2018 to 2020.

"When we acquired Real Salt Lake last year, we said it was a matter of when, not if, the NWSL would return to Utah. This has always been an integral part of our mission," RSL co-owner David Blitzer said in a statement.

Michelle Hyncik, RSL's general counsel, was named president of the Royals. America First Credit Union will be the team's jersey sponsor.

When FC Kansas City, one of the NWSL's founding clubs, folded in 2017, its players were transferred to a new team in Utah owned by Dell Loy Hansen, who also owned Real Salt Lake. The original Royals folded in 2020 after Hansen relinquished ownership of both clubs.

The <a href="https://twitter.com/UtahRoyalsFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UtahRoyalsFC</a> averaged the second-highest attendance in the league, exceeding 11,000 fans per match