Utah Royals Women

Portland Thorns FC come to Sandy as the closest thing the Royals have to an enemy. There is no derby with Real Salt Lake, the men's club that shares the ownership and the stadium; the fixture that carries an edge runs north-west, to Oregon, and it has done since the first Utah side took the field.

That first side lasted three seasons. Announced as an expansion team in November 2017 and playing from 2018, it was assembled quickly and stocked with names the American game already knew — Christen Press, Kelley O'Hara, Becky Sauerbrunn. Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir scored the franchise's first goal. On 7 December 2020 the whole thing was sold: contracts, draft picks and franchise rights went to a group in Missouri, who turned them into the Kansas City Current. Utah kept one clause. Real Salt Lake could bring the Royals back, but not before 2023.

They came back for 2024, under Ryan Smith and David Blitzer, and the club handed the team to Amy Rodriguez — a former Royals captain, back in the building as head coach. In April 2025 Gail Miller's Miller Sports + Entertainment took a controlling interest. Mandy McGlynn has been the goalkeeper of the new era; Ally Sentnor and Cloé Lacasse the forward pieces around her.

The trophy cabinet is empty. No NWSL title, no Shield, no Challenge Cup, across either version of the club.

Home is America First Field, which carried the name Rio Tinto Stadium until September 2022 and holds 20,213 for football. The claret, cobalt and gold are the same as they were in 2018, worn by a club that had to be sold off and written back into existence to keep them.