BOSTON (AP) — Domenec Guasch, a former executive at FC Barcelona, has been named the first general manager for Boston’s National Women’s Soccer League expansion team.

The Boston team, BOS Nation, is set to begin play in 2026 as the league’s 15th team. The NWSL is expected to add a 16th team by the end of the year.

Guasch will have to build a roster in Boston without benefit of an expansion draft. The NWSL and its players’ union adopted a new collective bargaining agreement in September that eliminated both the expansion and college drafts.

Guasch has spent the last 13 years with Barcelona, including the last two years as head of management for women’s football, overseeing recruiting and contract negotiations.

“The opportunity to build this team from the ground up is a challenge I fully embrace, and I’m eager to create a legacy that our fans and this city will celebrate for years to come,” Guasch said in a statement Thursday. “I’m excited to get to work assembling a world-class coaching staff and roster to compete at the highest level.”

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