Professional women’s soccer league coming to Canada in 2025

Dec 7, 2022 - 1:40 AM

Folks, the wheels are in motion.

A new professional women’s soccer league is set to arrive in Canada in 2025, with Diana Matheson and Christine Sinclair at the forefront of it all.

“We are thrilled to announce that the development of a Canadian professional women’s soccer league is well underway,” Matheson said in a statement.

“Much work has gone on behind the scenes to get to today.”

Matheson, who won two Olympic bronze medals with the Canadian women’s national team, and her business partner, Thomas Gilbert, will be launching the league through Project 8 Sports Inc.

As per the official announcement, the still-unnamed league will consist of eight teams split into two conferences. Each of the eights clubs will have at least one Canadian international on their roster.

The Vancouver Whitecaps and Calgary Foothills Soccer Club were announced as the league’s two founding teams. The other six are expected to be named in 2023.

“It’s important that women are building the league,’’ said Sinclair following the announcement.

“We are committed to developing something that is built differently, for women by women. We want to change the soccer landscape in Canada so women’s players can develop and play professionally here at home instead of having to go abroad, as every one of our national team players must do now to be successful.”

Fellow Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Labbé, who is the Whitecaps’ general manager of women’s soccer, also spoke out on her excitement regarding the new league.

“The creation of this league is something we have been advocating for over many years, and to be part of seeing it come to fruition is truly exciting,” said Labbé.

“We look forward to working with stakeholders across the Canadian soccer environment to make this league successful.”