Around the NSL: Welcome to footypeg; Rapid on top; Canadian Champ to be crowned

Welcome to footypeg, Northern Super League superfans! It will soon no longer be a view from Row Z.

It was a long — too long — time coming, but Winnipeg will finally have its very own professional women’s league team. And what better sport than the beautiful game.

Decorated Olympian and hometown hero Desiree Scott made the announcement of the league’s expansion into the Prairies on Tuesday. The Winnipegger nicknamed the Destroyer during her playing days co-founded the seventh franchise in Canada’s women’s pro footy league with renowned former coach Rob Gale. She will serve as vice-president of community and player experience and Gale will serve as chief sporting officer.

The club’s first season will kick off in 2027 and the league has announced it hopes to expand again in 2028.

Now the fun begins as the team is asking for mascot suggestions, so fire up your best ideas for a new edition to the Winnipeg pro sports mascot core group.

And here’s what else happened around the league this past week.

Highlight of the week

It’s more of a game than a highlight, but Ottawa Rapid’s 2-1 takedown of AFC Toronto on the road last Saturday catapulted the club up the standings.

Not to get ahead of ourselves, but Ottawa’s Week 13 takedown of the Halifax Tides at home Thursday leaves the Rapid with a stranglehold at the top of the standings with 28 points. The Montreal Roses are next best with 21 — which feels like a mountain to climb.

Min-a Lee’s boot in the 12th minute against Toronto gave the visitors the early lead and Delaney Baie Pridham closed the game with the dagger — her seventh of the year — in the closing minutes.

It was just another victory lap for manager Katrine Sondergaard Pedersen’s side — the win streak continuing into this week. The last time the club didn’t win a game was a Week 9 tie with the Mighty Maroons. At the moment the Rapid seem unstoppable.

First Canadian Champ to be crowned

The league announced Thursday that the NSL’s inaugural women’s Canadian Championship will kick off Aug. 3. Just as the men’s side is in the middle of its Canadian Championship in-season tourney, eight teams will compete on the women’s side in three knockout rounds.

The two additional clubs are CS Mont-Royal Outremont that plays in the LS Pro Quebec league and Simcoe County Rovers FC that play in the Ontario Premier League.

The single knockout-round quarterfinals start Aug. 3 with Halifax battling Ottawa before Calgary take on Mont-Royal on Aug. 5. The Roses take on the Simcoe County Rovers on Aug. 12 before the quarterfinal round wraps up on Oct. 4 with Toronto facing off against Vancouver.

The semifinals and final of the W Canadian Championship will be played in the first half of 2027, so superfans will have to wait a little longer before a champ will be crowned.

The Championship is a domestic pathway to the 2027 CONCACAF W Champions Cup and the 2028 FIFA Women’s Club World Cup.

Next year will also see women’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil, so there’s plenty of high-quality footy coming your way.

Games to watch in Week 13 and 14

Well, dear readers, you’ll have to watch the Northern Super League without me next week as I take my holidays. I will be watching at home of course, so be prepared for a double-dose in my next View column with all the highlights from Weeks 13 and 14.

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What else is there to say except watch ’em all. But which ones will I have a trained eye on? So glad you asked.

The battle for the middle of the pack is on right now and Sunday’s matchup between the Mighty Maroons and Vancouver (3 p.m. CT, CBC Gem) will be a good indicator on whether the Rise can rise back up the standings.

And in Week 14, Ottawa heads to McMahon to face the Wild (8 p.m. CT, TSN). If Calgary can turn the season around at all, this would be the time to do it. Otherwise, it will be the Rapid’s fifth win in a row.

Meet you back here for the Aug. 1 edition, readers.

winnipegfreepress.com/graceannepaizen

Grace Anne Paizen
Sports Editor

Grace oversees the team that produces sports journalism for the Free Press.