Diana Matheson, centre, former Canadian soccer player and CEO of the Northern Super League, is flanked by co-founders Isabele Chevalier, right, and Jean-Francois Crevier, in Montreal, on May 27.Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press
The Northern Super League, Canada’s new women’s pro soccer circuit, has struck a broadcast deal.
NSL games will be shown on TSN, CBC-Sports and Radio-Canada. In addition, RDS will provide French-language coverage of select matches featuring the Montreal franchise.
“Ensuring our matches are available to Canadians is key to the long-term growth and viability of professional women’s soccer,” league co-founder Diana Matheson said in a statement. “Our players have been behind the scenes for too long. Having Bell Media and CBC/Radio-Canada put a national spotlight on our Canadian professional players is a huge win for fans and creates a lasting impact on women’s sport in this country.”
The six-team league is set to kick off in April, 2025.
The founding NSL franchises are Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa and Montreal.
A league spokesman said all league matches will be shown either on linear TV through its broadcast partners or on NSL and partner digital platforms. A “substantial number” will be shown on linear TV.
Each team will play a 25-game regular-season schedule, facing the other clubs five times. The top four sides will make the postseason.
The inaugural season schedule and full broadcast details will come at a later date.