As the Vancouver Rise lifted the inaugural Northern Super League championship trophy, the Government of Canada pledged up to C$5.45 million to support the growth of the women’s professional soccer league.
The Rise defeated AFC Toronto 2-1 on Saturday in front of 12,429 fans at BMO Field in Toronto.
“We achieved a lot of milestones this year,” Vancouver captain Samantha Chan said. “It feels like we’ve come full circle for us, playing in our first ever game and winning our first trophy.”
Canada’s first professional league began in April with six teams: the Halifax Tides, Montreal Roses, Calgary Wild, Ottawa Rapids, Toronto and Vancouver. Startup League sponsors included Coca-Cola, Toyota, and DoorDash.
Rise also defeated Calgary 1-0 in their first league game in front of more than 14,000 fans at BC Place.
The Canadian government announced ahead of the championships that the new funding would provide “innovative upgrades to the facilities used by the league,” with the aim of fostering the growth of the NSL and fostering regional economic development.
“At NSL, we are focused on turning dreams into reality and building pathways that accelerate the growth of Canada’s women’s sports industry. We are proud to build alongside partners like the Government of Canada who share that vision,” said NSL founder and former Canadian national team player Diana Matheson. “As we invest in Canada’s future, sport has an important role to play. As one of the fastest growing sectors in the country, women’s sport is something we are proud to invest in and build communities across the country.”
The championship match was postponed due to lightning, but Holly Ward finally scored the winning goal in the 68th minute, beating goalkeeper Sierra Cota-Yalde.
Toronto (16-6-3) topped the regular-season standings, with Vancouver (11-8-6) in third place. The league plans to add a seventh team next season.
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