Winnipeg’s beautiful game Prairies Premier League enjoying a successful inaugural season By: Grace Penner Posted: 5:45 PM CDT Monday, Jun. 15, 2026 Last Modified: 8:41 PM CDT Monday, Jun. 15, 2026 Updates

The FIFA World Cup has taken over the world, but what about our very own Manitoba talents?

The Prairies Premier League (PPL) was launched this past May to grow and foster a competitive environment for both the men and women’s teams — working as a semi-professional bridge league in between university seasons that allows players to continue their training in the off-season.

On the women’s side of the league there are six teams, three of which that are Manitoba based. FC Manitoba, Lucania FC and Bonivital Flames represent Winnipeg’s home grown soccer stars.

“I was pushing for our team to be a travel team and go play the leagues in Alberta and possibly Ontario. But [with] the PPL coming to the Prairies… I pivoted and decided to enter a team,” said Peter Vieira, the Lucania women’s head coach.

With the league in its inaugural season, it’s hard to say who’s going to win it all. And since the season is only three months long, each game changes the standings drastically with no team being safe in one spot for long.

“Every team is competitive. I don’t think anyone can predict who’s going to win, game-in and game-out,” Vieira said.

Lucania currently sits second in the league.

“Credit to the other teams, they have quality players and they make it tough for us,” Vieira said.

Vieira has the privilege of coaching his daughter, attacking midfielder Cassidy Vieira. Cassidy, described in a PPL press release as “a dynamic local product whose quality and leadership set the tone across the pitch,” is a vital player on the field.

“Every team is competitive. I don’t think anyone can predict who’s going to win.”

“You can feel that there is that professional air to [the league] where there are people that want to watch, there’s people that want to win,” she said.

“Every game, it’s a battle out there.”

Both Peter and Cassidy agreed that this league helps players advance to the next step, whether it’s returning to their university team ready for action, or in hopes of going professional.

Most importantly, the PPL gives players a glimpse of that next level, adhering to professional standards.

“You never would’ve had an anthem played in Winnipeg, never would’ve had a walkout with the refs, never would’ve had a fourth official,” Cassidy explained, comparing other leagues to the PPL.

And Peter’s goals align not only with his players’, but also the league’s.

“The goal for our players is that they’re playing meaningful competitive soccer,” he emphasized. “We’re hoping that with potentially a professional team coming to the city in the next couple of years, that we’re an affiliate or we’re a feeder.”

“A lot of these players here are in their off-season. They’re here because they want to get better, they want to keep learning, improving. They want to be with like-minded people.”

Cassidy’s dream is shared by the other women around the league: to play professionally in a place they call home.

Passing the ball over to the Bonivital Flames, they share the same sentiment about the PPL with their goal to “address the long-standing gap for athletes in smaller provinces.”

“Overall, it’s been a good experience… it’s very competitive. From an elite perspective, that’s important because this is a league we want to survive long-term,” women’s assistant coach Jeff Seney said.

Seney has coached for more than 25 years — ranging from youth, university, professional and national teams. He noted that all six teams are closely matched.

“Everybody’s taking points off each other,” he said.

Seney’s vision for his team after the season is similar Peter’s – he hopes the league “is a good stepping stone and building block towards” players’ future goals.

Midfielder Jessica Tsai — a former captain of the Manitoba Bisons women’s soccer program — agrees that this league has only been a positive experience.

In 2013, Tsai was interviewed by the Free Press as an 11-year-old superstar who had a bright future ahead of her. Being at the same club 13 years later shows the ongoing passion Tsai has for the game.

“A lot of these players here are in their off-season. They’re here because they want to get better, they want to keep learning, improving. They want to be with like-minded people,” Tsai said.

She emphasized that although this league is great for those who want to stay active and keep in their love for the game, it’s especially great for those who want to excel to the next level.

“When I was first playing soccer, the only opportunity I’d ever known was the Canadian National team. The pro league, none of that existed,” she said. “None of that even seemed like a possibility for me.”

Now after leading the Bisons and being a part of the PPL’s launch throughout the Prairies, her ambitions are no longer only dreams — they now have a chance to become reality.

“I just want to keep playing at the highest level possible for as long as I can, as long as I’m healthy, and want to keep doing it,” Tsai noted.

For FC Manitoba, the consensus stays the same that the PPL is the league to be in.

The women’s head coach Nano Romero — previous professional Chilean soccer player and longtime coach — agrees that this league is in a successful first-year run.

“It’s a good start. There’s going to be work, obviously, first year but I think it’s the right idea,” Romero said. “Getting players involved and getting them to feel that next experience is going to open doors for a lot of women.”

Knowing the professional side of soccer well, Romero has the insight on how these players can get their foot on that side of the door.

Goalkeeper Terra Rybuck has found this league beneficial while in between seasons at Emporia State University in Kansas.

“It gives opportunity to those in the Prairies that were slept on. It’s a great opportunity to highlight hometown talent and have a good, strong, competitive league for those coming back in the summer,” Rybuck shared.

Currently, the Manitoba teams hold second, third and fourth place in the standings with Luciana at 2-1-3 (11 points), Manitoba at 2-1-2 (9 points) and Bonivital Flames at 2-2-2 (8 points).

sports@freepress.mb.ca