April marked the beginning of the second season of the Northern Super League in Canada. This season builds on an exciting breakout season for the league and will run until Saturday 14th November.
Who is in the league?
The league currently features six teams: Halifax Tides, Montreal Roses, AFC Toronto, Calgary Wild, Ottawa Rapid and Vancouver Rise. However, it has been announced that the league will be expanding to seven teams from April 2027, for the third season. The Northern Super League was launched as a domestic pathway to the CONCACAF Women’s Champions Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup. Ottawa Rapid currently sit at the top of the league, with Calgary Wild their next opponents on 15th August.
The inaugural season
The league’s breakout season was an exciting one, where the league achieved a top-five global attendance. During the first season, the Northern Super League also built a strong commercial foundation and global talent began to rise. The league itself was first announced in 2022, with former Canada international Diana Matheson and current captain Christine Sinclair behind plans for the first professional women’s league.
A unique aspect of the Northern Super League is that it has a salary cap of 1.6m Canadian dollars, with a minimum salary of 50,000 Canadian dollars. This is significant because it is likely to keep the spending and salaries of clubs more equal. This differs from the WSL, where there is only a soft salary cap, which means clubs can spend up to 40% of their revenue on player wages.
What is the significance for women’s football in Canada?
The introduction of the Northern Super League has been hugely significant for the growth of women’s football in Canada, as we can see through the top-five global league attendance and the commercial success of the league already. The league has also been hugely significant for helping develop global talent in Canada.
Before the men’s World Cup in the summer, the Northern Super League clubs participated in community celebrations, events and fan festivals across Canada, which further increased the profile of the professional women’s game in Canada. Speaking about the significance of this, Christina Litz, President of the Northern Super League said:
“FIFA World Cup 2026 is a historic moment for soccer in Canada, and we’re excited to be part of the celebrations taking place across the country. Our clubs, players and supporters are helping to write the next chapter of soccer in this country. As fans experience a summer of soccer, we invite them to experience the Northern Super League as well.“
The Northern Super League returns next weekend as its second season continues to build momentum and grow the profile of women’s football in Canada.
