Northern Super League laden with talent from 21 countries ahead of April 16 opening match
87 of 132 players across 6-team professional women's soccer loop are Canadian
The Northern Super League, which launches next week, has drawn player talent from 21 countries.
According to the NSL, 132 players are signed to the six teams in the new Canadian women's soccer league.
Eighty-seven are Canadians with the other 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 have represented their county, with a total of 1,120 caps.
"We are coming out of the gate with a remarkable calibre of athletes," Diana Matheson, the league's co-founder and chief growth officer, said in a statement. "From bringing Canadian players home to attracting elite talent from around the globe, we are now home to one of the world's strongest player pools.
"Our focus on competitive salaries, player benefits, along with our vision to develop and empower players, has allowed the Northern Super League to start off in the most impactful way. I can't wait for Canadians to see these athletes take the pitch."
The NSL begins its inaugural season April 16 with Vancouver Rise FC hosting Calgary Wild FC. The 8 p.m. ET match will be available at CBCSports.ca and on the free CBC Gem streaming service.
NSL clubs work within a salary cap of $1.6 million, covering a minimum of 20 players and maximum of 25, with at least two goalkeepers. They can designate one player whose salary does not fit into that cap.
Teams are allowed a maximum of eight internationals.
WATCH | NSL players on what a professional women's league in Canada means:
AFC Toronto hosts Montreal on April 19
The league's minimum salary is $50,000.
The current transfer windows close April 14 with the summer window running July 20 to Aug. 31, when the roster freezes.
AFC Toronto will host the league's second game on April 19 with Montreal Roses FC providing the competition at BMO Field.
Halifax Tides FC open April 26 against Calgary while Ottawa Rapid FC kicks off its season the following day against visiting Toronto.
Each club will play a 25-game regular season with Ottawa, Calgary, and Halifax having 13 home and 12 away matches in the inaugural campaign while Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver play 12 home and 13 away matches.
The playoffs will see the top four teams compete in home-and-away semifinals with the higher-seeded club hosting the second leg. The two teams with the highest aggregate score will advance to the Nov. 15 championship game.
