Canada Soccer says it supports a proposal from former national team player Diana Matheson to create a professional women’s soccer league in the country.
In a statement on Thursday, Canada Soccer president Dr. Nick Bontis said the organization likes the idea.
“This is excellent news for our sport and Canada Soccer is in support of the proposal for the launch of a women’s professional league in Canada,” he said.
“We are always open and willing to work with individuals and organizations that want to further develop the women’s game, which is a vitally important part of Canada Soccer’s Strategic Plan. This initiative is aligned with work we have already started and the launch of a women’s professional league prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 has always been one of my priorities as president.”
Matheson and business partner Thomas Gilbert announced plans for the league under the banner of Project 8 Sports Inc. earlier this week.
CIBC and Air Canada are founding partners and the league will be led “primarily by former national team players,” Project 8 said. Canada star Christine Sinclair, who’s serving as an adviser, and Stephanie Labbé, the Vancouver Whitecaps GM of women’s soccer, will be involved in planning and development.
The Whitecaps and Calgary Foothills are two of the founding clubs in the eight-team league. The other six teams are expected to be named next year. The league hopes to launch in 2025.
“This is a defining moment for soccer in our country,” Breagha Carr-Harris, Canada Soccer’s head of women’s professional soccer, said in a statement.
“The addition of a Canadian professional women’s league advances the game and player pathways domestically and it strengthens the ecosystem globally. We are excited that our research and strategic planning in the past few months aligns with the vision put forward by Diana Matheson and Project 8. As the governing body for the game in Canada, Canada Soccer has an operational and administrative duty by which our General Secretary is ultimately responsible for all league sanctioning. This process will be done collaboratively and we look forward to working together on next steps.”
— with files from CP