Week 1 of the North Super League is done, to positive criticism. Now the hard work really starts.
The high -level opening matches at the BC Place Stadium in Vancouver and the BMO Field in Toronto, Drew, announced crowds of 14,018 and 14,518.
Wednesday, Vancouver Rise FC lifted the six-team league curtain with a 1-0 victory against the Calgary Wild FC, thanks to a Quinn penalty. And the Montreal Roses FC hung on to a 1-0 victory against Toronto AFC on Saturday after Tanya Boychuk transformed a defensive error into a winner of ninth minute.
Kevin Blue, CEO and secretary general of Canada Soccer, believes that the new league will have a lasting effect.
“I think that (this) is certainly solidifying and will continue to accelerate Canada as a world leader in women’s football,” he told journalists at the half-time of the Toronto match.
Blue, who was also at the opening of Vancouver, paid tribute to the co-founder of the Diana Matheson League.
“It’s just incredible what Diana was able to build here and I think it is important that everyone recognizes it,” he said. “Perseverance, determination, know-how, commercial skills, entrepreneurial spirit. It’s just an extraordinary achievement. And it is such an incredible contribution to the growth of women’s football in Canada. ”
The future was exhibited on Saturday, of the 17 -year -old striker of Toronto, Kaylee Hunter, and the 22 -year -old midfielder, Nikki Small, of the Montreal goalkeeper Anna Karpenko.
While football in the two opening games was a little disjointed, as you would expect, teams taking their first steps, there was a lot to admire.
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“Women in Quebec, women in Canada, they deserve it,” said Montreal coach Robert Rositoiu. “And I really hope that as a league, we will continue to show what we have shown today, what we showed on Wednesday. A good show, to convince more young girls than they can dream.” It is on. “
Vancouver and Toronto will face the rest of their home schedules on smaller steps with Vancouver at the Swangard Stadium and Toronto at the York Lions Stadium.
The six teams are in action next week with Calgary by visiting Halifax Tides FC on Saturday in Wanderers Ground. On Sunday, it’s Toronto in Ottawa Rapid FC at TD Place and Montreal in Vancouver.
Canada’s women’s coach Casey Stoney, who played in the England Female League when she started in 2011, said the new league must find its own path – which includes the right places.
“It’s about playing where suits at the right time,” she said. “The game must continue to grow. And I think that while it is developing, you put it in a suitable stage. And then you try to market it. And as he continues to grow, he may end here (at BMO Field). In England, we started on a very small scale. And look where he’s now.
“You have to be patient. You have to give him time to grow. And we have to put money and investments (in) to make sure it is growing in the right direction – at the right speed.”
Matheson, director of chief growth of the league and co -owner of the Ottawa franchise, said that the objective was to add two expansion teams for 2027. Finding locations with appropriate places could be delicate.
Comparable countries like Denmark and Australia have a medium-sized stage for each half-million people, Matheson said. In Canada, it’s one for eight million.
“We have a massive gap (in infrastructure) in this country and it harms the growth of this league,” she said in an interview. “Because even if we have the first or the first or the largest average attendance in the world for professional football of women, if we are in the wrong stage, you do not get the atmosphere. And if we are the second or third tenants, we do not get the diffusion times or playing times. We do not control income in the stadium, so even if we sell all these titles, we do not see all income.
“So when we examine the expansion markets, it is already with the aim of going to the cities and the provinces that will help us to fill this gap. And that will help support the growth of our league, but also, of course, other sports in the city, other events of the community and culture. Because there are simply not enough of these types of buildings in Canada.”
Matheson is particularly proud of the independence of the NSL, noting that many leagues and female teams around the world belong to the leagues or male franchises.
“And women’s football is still incredibly the second decision they make,” she said. “And this is a huge force for us in the world that we have an independent league, that each dollar in the construction of women’s football in this country.”
The co -owner of Whitecaps, Greg Kerfoot, is part of the Vancouver franchise ownership group of the NSL, but it is a distinct entity of the MLS team.
It is up to fans now to show his support for the new league, by buying a ticket or a jersey.
“We have been working hard behind the scenes for 2 and a half years to get to this point,” said Matheson. “And now this is the point where it is a bit of a tag team -” you are in fans. Now, it is time for you to help us also build this and build the atmosphere in the stadiums and show us what it looks like for your fans and your market. “”
& Copy 2025 the Canadian press