COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — The Colorado Rapids have signed Rapids 2 goalkeeper Nicolas Hansen to a semi-guaranteed first team contract through the 2025 MLS season with club options for 2026 and 2027. Hansen will become the sixth player and third goalkeeper in club history to receive a first team contract from the club’s MLS NEXT Pro side.
Hansen, 23, joined the Rapids organization at the beginning of the 2025 season after spending the 2024 season with fellow MLS NEXT Pro side Houston Dynamo 2. So far this season, Hansen has received three short-term agreements with the first team for the team’s matches against the Portland Timbers, Charlotte FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He also spent the entirety of preseason training with the first team in Querétaro, Mexico, and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
In MLS NEXT Pro, Hansen has made one appearance in 2025, playing 90 minutes against Real Monarchs in a 2-2 draw.
The goalkeeper was a member of the Weston FC Academy in Florida before moving to Europe to begin his professional career. At 16-years-old, he joined the Everton FC youth system, where he featured for their U-18 side until 2019. Hansen then signed his first professional contract with Everton on July 4, 2019, and earned a spot on the club’s U-23 side within Premier League 2.
Following his time with Everton, the Southwest Ranches native spent a season with Swansea City’s U-21 side before making the move to Atherton Collieries A.F.C. of the Northern Premier League in 2022. Hansen received consistent playing time with the club, having made 52 appearances with 12 clean sheets over two seasons.
Hansen has played at the international level with the Denmark U-19 National Team. He has made three appearances for the Danish side with his last call-up coming in 2019. Prior to spending time with Denmark at the international level, Hansen also received call-ups with the U.S. Youth National Team at the U-16 and U-17 levels.
TRANSACTION: The Colorado Rapids have signed Rapids 2 goalkeeper Nicolas Hansen to a semi-guaranteed first team contract through the 2025 MLS season with club options for 2026 and 2027.
Nicolas Hansen
Pronunciation: NEE-koh-lahs HAN-sen
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-2
Weight: 170 lbs
Birthdate: July 10, 2001
Birthplace: Southwest Ranches, FL
Nationality: United States, Denmark
