Tag: Canada

The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup is set to dominate the sporting landscape across Canada, the United States and Mexico this summer. Stadiums are going to be packed, global media attention will flood North America and football culture will become impossible to ignore for weeks.
While it may seem like the men’s tournament is going to occupy the spotlight, some of the biggest long-term winners could end up being women’s leagues already trying to establish deeper roots across the continent.

After decades of lacking a professional outlet for female footballers at home, Canada has finally launched its first independent professional women’s football league: the Northern Super League (NSL). Officially kicking off in April 2025, the NSL features six founding clubs—Montreal Roses FC, Vancouver Rise FC, AFC Toronto, Ottawa Rapid FC, Calgary Wild FC, and Halifax Tides FC—and aims to create a sustainable, business-focused model for growth.