PRESS RELEASE

 

COMPETITION HEATS UP IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AS FUEGO FEMENIL
JOINS WPSL FOR 2026 SEASON 

 

OKLAHOMA CITY (1/23/2026) — The Women’s Premier Soccer League announced today the addition of Fuego Femenil for the 2026 WPSL season. Today’s announcement further strengthens the already fierce competition in the San Joaquín Valley and across Northern California.

 

“Participating in the WPSL allows us to showcase talent from our region while competing against high-quality teams and players throughout Northern California,” Brian Easler, Central Valley Fuego FC president, said. 

 

Fuego Femenil is the newly founded women’s arm of Central Valley Fuego FC. Founded in 2002 as a pre-professional men’s club, the club transitioned to the professional ranks in 2022. After two seasons, the club made the strategic decision to focus on long-term sustainability, returning the club to amateur status, allowing the club to invest in infrastructure, operational stability, and the expansion of multiple formats of the sport—including a women’s team—laying the foundation for continued growth.

 

“We are excited to expand into women’s soccer as we look to ignite the community through the women’s game while developing players and helping them progress towards greater opportunities,” Easler said. 

 

A seasoned sport executive with extensive soccer operations experience, Easler’s commitment to women’s soccer began in 2018 as an architect of a women’s beach soccer program that created a pathway for female athletes in the United States. 

 

Jasara Gillette is charged with leading Fuego Femenil as Head Coach in its inaugural season. She brings to his post more than 18 years of coach experience across collegiate, high school, club, and pre-professional levels. Along with her touchline duties with Fuego Femenil, Gillette serves as Clovis Crossfire Girls Academy Head Coach. She spent five seasons as Head Coach at West Hills College Lemoore, and more than a decade with Central California Soccer Alliance, where she served as Associate Director of Coaching, helping elevate the club to a top five national ranking. 

 

Conference and division alignment will be announced at the WPSL Annual General Meeting January 30-31. The 28th WPSL season kicks off in mid-May, culminating with the WPSL Championships in July. The 2026 WPSL schedule will be announced in March.

 

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For more information on Fuego Femenil visit fuegofc.com. Follow Fuego Femenil on Instagram. 

 

For more information on the WPSL, visit wpslsoccer.com.

 

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About the Women’s Premier Soccer League 

The WPSL completed its 27th season in 2025 remaining  the most tenured women’s league in North America. The WPSL continues to operate as the largest women’s soccer league in the world. An all-time high of 150 teams competed in the 2025 WPSL Season. Team rosters feature elite collegiate, post-collegiate, international, and standout prep student-athletes. Many of the United States’ most accomplished women’s national team players have played in the WPSL since its inception in 1998, including household names such as Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach, and Brandi Chastain.