The Portland Thorns FC is an American professional women's soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. Established in 2012, the team began play in 2013 in the (then) eight-team National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) that receives support from the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) and the Mexican Football Federation (FMF).[1] The Portland franchise is owned by Peregrine Sports LLC, which also owns the Portland Timbers. The Thorns, the Houston Dash, and the Orlando Pride are the only NWSL teams with Major League Soccer affiliation.