Top-five global attendance, elite competition, strong commercial foundation, and rising global talent fuel landmark first year
TORONTO, ON — November 13, 2025 — The Northern Super League (NSL) wraps up its inaugural season on Saturday, November 15 with the NSL Final Presented by Toyota at BMO Field. Vancouver Rise FC and AFC Toronto will play for the Diana B. Matheson Cup marking the first-ever women’s professional soccer championship in Canada.
In its debut campaign, the NSL has delivered elite competition attracting strong attendance and engagement along with major commercial investment, firmly establishing Canada as a global leader in the rapidly growing women’s soccer marketplace.
The NSL’s debut year has represented a new era in Canadian sport with the following key highlights:
- Canada’s first women’s professional soccer league
- Top-five ranking for global attendance in the world of professional women’s soccer
- Delivered one of the world’s most competitive soccer leagues
- Attracted strong ownership, commercial, and media support
- Proven development pathway to Canada’s Women’s National Team
- Delivered powerful community programming nationwide
- Announced expansion plans — adding a seventh club to join the league in 2027
A Breakthrough First Season
Top-Five Global Attendance
- More than 275,000 people purchased tickets in 2025
- NSL ranks top-five globally in average attendance in the world of professional women’s soccer
- Home openers in Vancouver and Toronto surpassed 14,000 fans
- Supporter culture grew quickly, weaving the NSL into club communities from coast to coast.
High End Player Environment
Founded by players, for players, the NSL has established one of the strongest professional environments in global women’s soccer.
Player Cohort
- 148 Signed Players
- 101 Canadian
- 47 international
- NSL feature players from 19 countries, with more than half coming from Tier 1 Leagues around the world
Standards & Structure
- $1.6M salary cap per club
- Minimum salary: $50K CAD
- Average salary: ~$75K CAD, among the highest globally
- Guaranteed contracts aligned with global best practice
- Roster size: 20-25 players; 8 international spots per club
Elite Talent
The NSL rapidly became a development & showcase platform for global talent.
- 7 NSL players received Canadian Senior National Team call-ups in 2025, including:
Emma Regan, Holly Ward, Kaylee Hunter, Desiree Scott, Quinn, Samantha Chang, Latifah Abdu - 39 players across the league have Senior National Team experience
- 1,300+ cumulative Senior National Team caps
Top-Five Most Competitive League Globally
The NSL established itself among the world’s most competitive and exciting leagues.This level of parity fueled a dramatic playoff chase and deep fan engagement.
- 85% of games decided by two goals or fewer
- 2.6 goals per match (avg.)
- 65 different goal-scorers league-wide
Commercial Investment Signals Market Strength
The NSL has quickly become one of the strongest commercial properties in women’s professional sport with approximately $30million in League-wide revenue in the first season. Some notable achievements:
- Top-eight globally in league revenue
- 16 national league partners
- 50+ club partners
- Founding + major partners include: Canadian Tire, BMO, Toyota, Coca-Cola, DoorDash, Simons, Intact, WestJet.
Explosive Digital & Content Growth
- Players collectively: 3.7M+ followers
- League-wide accounts: 279,000+ followers in 2025
- Reached More than 3M Canadians on linear broadcasts this year
- A top full-season soccer property on broadcast
- Millions of highlight & storytelling views
Extensive Media Impact
- 104,000+ unique media stories (Source: Meltwater)
- 35B+ potential editorial reach (Source: Meltwater)
Quotes
“It’s hard to believe we’re already wrapping up Year One. It’s been such a long journey to get here, and this season has exceeded every expectation. From incredible fans to world-class play and groundbreaking investment from partners, Canadians have embraced women’s professional soccer in ways that are powerful and deeply inspiring.
What I’m most proud of is the players. We knew Canada needed a professional league, but I think all of us have been blown away by the skill level and overall quality of play. I can’t wait to see how this league evolves next year — and where this incredible movement can go.”
— Diana Matheson, Founder & Chief Growth Officer, Northern Super League
“The response from fans this year has been incredible. The energy in our stadiums and the engagement across our communities has proven that Canadians are ready for women’s professional soccer at the highest level. But this is just the beginning. Now it’s about building on the momentum and being positioned for growth. We have already established ourselves as a top women’s league in the world but with the support of fans, partners and investors sky’s the limit for the NSL. ..”
— Christina Litz, President, Northern Super League
About the Northern Super League
The Northern Super League is Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league with six founding clubs: Calgary Wild FC, Halifax Tides FC, Montréal Roses, Ottawa Rapid FC, AFC Toronto, and Vancouver Rise FC. The League is rooted in global best practices and strives to champion Canadian excellence in sport, equity, and inclusion. The NSL Final takes place November 15, 2025 at BMO Field in Toronto. Tickets on sale now at NSL.ca/Final.
Media Contact:
Greg McIsaac
Junction Communications
greg@junctioncommunications.com
416-458-3591