Northern Super League laden with talent from 21 countries ahead of April 16 opening match

Neil Davidson · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Apr 08, 2025 1:54 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

The Northern Super League, which launches adjacent week, has drawn subordinate endowment from 21 countries.

According to the NSL, 132 players are signed to the six teams successful the caller Canadian women's shot league.

Eighty-seven are Canadians with the different 45 from Australia, Belgium, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Korea, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States.

Forty of the players person represented their county, with a full of 1,120 caps.

"We are coming retired of the gross with a singular calibre of athletes," Diana Matheson, the league's co-founder and main maturation officer, said successful a statement. "From bringing Canadian players location to attracting elite endowment from astir the globe, we are present location to 1 of the world's strongest subordinate pools.

"Our absorption connected competitory salaries, subordinate benefits, on with our imaginativeness to make and empower players, has allowed the Northern Super League to commencement disconnected successful the astir impactful way. I can't hold for Canadians to spot these athletes instrumentality the pitch."

The NSL begins its inaugural play April 16 with Vancouver Rise FC hosting Calgary Wild FC. The 8 p.m. ET lucifer volition beryllium disposable astatine CBCSports.ca and connected the escaped CBC Gem streaming service.

NSL clubs enactment wrong a wage headdress of $1.6 million, covering a minimum of 20 players and maximum of 25, with astatine slightest 2 goalkeepers. They tin designate 1 subordinate whose wage does not acceptable into that cap.

Teams are allowed a maximum of 8 internationals.

AFC Toronto hosts Montreal connected April 19

The league's minimum wage is $50,000.

The existent transportation windows adjacent April 14 with the summertime model moving July 20 to Aug. 31, erstwhile the roster freezes.

AFC Toronto volition big the league's 2nd crippled connected April 19 with Montreal Roses FC providing the contention at BMO Field.

Halifax Tides FC unfastened April 26 against Calgary portion Ottawa Rapid FC kicks disconnected its play the pursuing time against visiting Toronto.

Each nine volition play a 25-game regular play with Ottawa, Calgary, and Halifax having 13 location and 12 distant matches successful the inaugural run portion Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver play 12 location and 13 distant matches.

The playoffs volition spot the apical 4 teams vie successful home-and-away semifinals with the higher-seeded nine hosting the 2nd leg. The 2 teams with the highest aggregate people volition beforehand to the Nov. 15 title game.