September 9 – The Northern Super League (NSL), Canada’s six-team professional women’s league, has started the process of adding a seventh club for the 2027 season.
“The NSL has always had a steady growth strategy in mind, and the current expansion plans are a direct result of that vision, combined with an exciting and competitive first season that delivered on our expectations,” said Christina Litz, president of the NSL.
The NSL is Canada’s first professional women’s league and has just completed its season with six founding clubs in six major markets: Calgary Wild FC, Halifax Tides FC, Montreal Roses, Ottawa Rapid FC, AFC Toronto and Vancouver Rise.
The league is ideally looking for a new ownership group in markets in Central and Western Canada and has investment bank and advisory group Whitecap Sports Group (WSG), to lead the process of new team and investor identification and evaluation.
“The mission of the NSL is to be a top-five league in the world – rooted in community, inspiring greatness on and off the pitch,” said Diana Matheson, founder, chief growth officer, and former Canadian Women’s National Team player.
“With the third-largest player pool in the world and a country that has embraced women’s sports, we are confident in our ability to fulfill this mission with an ownership group that aspires to be among the best in the world, while understanding the importance of community to the business and values of the NSL.”
Canada hosted the Women’s World Cup in 2015 in what was a breakthrough tournament for the women’s game. The women’s team won Olympic bronze medals in 2012 and 2016 before taking gold in 2020.
“Women’s sports are enjoying unprecedented momentum – not only in terms of fan interest and engagement, but also in the investment community – and we are excited to participate in the continued growth of the NSL,” said Bob Malandro, Managing Partner of Whitecap Sports Group.
To take advantage of that growth WSG recently launched its Women’s Sports Division, led by Chelsee Washington. NSL expansion is the first project for their new division.
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