YORKTON - Women’s sports have been gaining definite pro momentum in North America of late, and in 2025 women’s soccer is about to get a major boost in this country.
The Northern Super League is a new Canadian professional women’s soccer league, which is set to hit the pitch next year with six clubs; Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, and Vancouver.
Christina Litz, the recently appointed president of the league said the present interest in women’s sport is certainly part of the reason the NSL is launching now.
“For sure you can see the popularity of women’s sport at an all time high,” she told Yorkton This Week in a recent interview.
Litz pointed to the Professional Women's Hockey League which launched in late 2023 as an example of what is happening.
“You couldn’t have imagined quite the success it achieved,” she said.
And the WNBA – which has announced an expansion team for Toronto -- is riding a wave based in-part on the arrival of budding star Caitlin Clark who Litz noted sold more jerseys on her draft day than the Dallas Cowboys in a year.
And speaking of basketball the CEBL has found a successful formula in Canada, something Litz said is an asset for their new league.
“We have great respect for what the CEBL has done . . . (and) we get to learn from them,” she said.
It’s now time for women’s soccer to gain a following beyond a week or two at the Olympics or in World Cup play, said Litz who was appointed the league’s its first President in July.
“It’s part of movement that’s not going away,” said Litz who before being appointed as the Northern Super League’s inaugural President, Litz held senior roles at leading sports organizations, including the Canadian Football League (CFL), Woodbine Entertainment and most recently, True North Sports and Entertainment as Chief Brand and Commercial Officer.
Soccer as a sport is very much based on the idea of national leagues, said Litz, so why not Canada? She noted the talent is certainly here with 160 Canadian women currently taking import spots on teams in leagues all over the world. It’s that domestic talent which the NSL will focus.
“The vast majority of the players on our rosters will be Canadian,” said Litz.
In season one, which will begin in April next year culminating in a championship game in November, the league will look to stock six teams with that Canadian talent, but the dream is bigger. Litz said expansion is on the agenda.
“That’s definitely the intent at some point,” she said, adding there are talks ongoing on that front.
Could that mean a team here in Saskatchewan.
“We’d love a team in Saskatchewan,” said Litz, adding another team on the Prairies or the west at least is a high priority.
While growth is down the road, season one – 25 games per team – is less than a year away. Soccer fans can expect to see action on television with TSN and CBC both on board, a major step for the new league, said Litz.
“That was really important for us when we were setting this up; to get as many eyes on it as possible,” she said, adding she said once you see the product she is confident you’ll like it for “. . . it’s high quality of play and as an entertaining product.”
For more information and updates on the Northern Super League, please visit www.NSL.ca
