On Friday evening Canada's Northern Super League kicks off their second season with a single matchup, a rematch of last year's NSL Final. Defending Diana B. Matheson Cup champion Vancouver Rise host 2025 regular season champion AFC Toronto. With the league starting it's second season, we wanted to give a good briefing on the league and why we are covering it.
Why Northland Soccer is covering the NSL?
Northland Soccer Journal is dedicated to covering all soccer from the lowest levels to the top level pros throughout the North. Primarily this means the Upper Midwest, but also includes places like Canada, the Nordic countries, and due to various cultural ties Germany and England as well. Each week you'll get a recap on the previous week in the league, from matches, to awards, transfers, and more.
What is the Northern Super League?
The NSL is Canada's top flight women's competition and the only professional women's league in the country. It is also one of just four fully professional women's soccer leagues in North America. The NSL is made up of six clubs stretching from Atlantic Canada all the way to the Pacific Ocean. In 2026 the season will consist of 25 matches, with each club playing the others five times. The top four make the playoffs with the NSL Final set for 14 November.
NSL co-founder and former NWSL and Canadian WNT standout Diana Matheson revealed last year that the NSL is aiming for expansion in 2027 with a focus on Central and Western Canada. With Canada's geography and population distribution this means the main cities of focus would be Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, and Winnipeg. A Winnipeg team would then be the closest pro women's team to a large portion of the State of Minnesota, where NSJ is based.
Okay so who are the clubs?
AFC Toronto: Representing Canada's largest city (and metro area) AFC Toronto is the only club in the league without a nickname. Supported by the Vermilion Vanguard the 2025 regular season champion and Matheson Cup runners-up are gearing up to take the title in 2026. AFC Toronto plays most of their matches at York Lions Stadium in North York, ON with some matches being played at BMO Field, home of Toronto FC.
Calgary Wild: Alberta's only professional women's side and one of just two pro clubs in the entire province, Calgary struggled in their first season. The Wild finished in 5th place, seven points back from the last spot in the playoffs. Calgary makes their home at the 35,000 seat McMahon Stadium, the largest in the league. Calgary's Wild Roses supporters make their "home" in the stadiums southeast corner. Captain of the former Afghanistan national team Farkhunda Muhtaj calls Calgary home having joined them ahead of the 2025 season.
Halifax Tides: One of only two top level professional teams in all of Atlantic Canada, the Tides showed the league and country they have one of the best fan bases. Even though the Tides took the wooden spoon in 2025 they averaged nearly 4,000 fans per match at the Wanderers Grounds, third most in the league. The Beacons supporters call the east side of the grounds their own. Former Minnesota Aurora standout Addison Weichers currently plays for the Tides, joining them in 2025.
Montréal Roses: One of three professional clubs to call the Montréal area home and supported by Les Ultraviolets, the Roses finished the 2025 season in fourth place. MTL was eliminated by rival Toronto in the semi-final of last years NSL Playoffs. The Roses make their home at Centre sportif Bois-de-Boulogne just across the river from Montréal proper in Laval, Québec. Former NWSL player Elyse Bennett and former French international Charlotte Bilbault play for the Roses.
Ottawa Rapid: Ontario's other side in the league is located in the national capital. Rapid play at TD Place in Lanesdowne Park about 3km (2 miles) southeast of Parliament Hill and downtown Ottawa. Rapid finished the 2025 season in second place behind only their Ontario rival of AFC Toronto. Ottawa was then knocked out of the playoffs by eventual champion Vancouver Rise. Jyllissa Harris of Houston Dash is currently on loan to Rapid for 2026 and also played for Ottawa in 2025.
Vancouver Rise: The defending champions and home to Canadian superstar Quinn, the Rise are the only club with a direct connection to a men's team. Vancouver Rise evolved out of the Vancouver Whitecaps former women's side and their women's academy. Rise have been the top club in Canada for a few years due to their academy side representing the country in both editions of the CONCACAF W Champions Cup. Rise play out of the Whitecaps former home of Swangard Stadium in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby. The Crow Collective supporters group nest in the south end of the stadium.
How can I watch the NSL?
One of the best things about the Northern Super League is it's accessibility both inside and outside of Canada. In Canada matches air on TSN, RDS (french language), CBC, CBC Gem, and YouTube depending on the match. In the United States you can watch them on ESPN+, if that match is on TSN in Canada, or YouTube. Outside of those locations you can watch on the NSL YouTube channel.
