Canada WNT – Women's Soccer Express

Northern Super League: Canada’s new league kicks off on Wednesday

Update (16-Apr-2025): All matches will be available in the USA, either via ESPN+ or the NSL’s website (nsl.ca). Also, for those outside the USA and Canada, all matches can be streamed for free via the NSL’s website.

Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league, the Northern Super League, begins play on Wednesday, April 16. Fans in the United States will be able to watch about half of the league’s regular season matches via the ESPN+ streaming service.

For its inaugural season, the league consists of six teams: The Calgary Wild, the Halifax Tides, the Montréal Roses, the Ottawa Rapid, AFC Toronto, and the Vancouver Rise. All six teams have received a “National 1 License” under the Canada Soccer Club Licensing Program (Canada Soccer press release).

During the 2025 regular season, each team will play each other team five times, for a total of 25 matches. As the total number of matches each team will play is odd, three of the teams (Ottawa, Calgary, and Halifax) will have an extra home match. The regular season runs from mid-April to mid-October. Playoffs will also be held: The top four teams will be paired off for two-legged semifinals, followed by a single-match championship. (NSL press release).

USWNT: The USA will play Canada on July 2 in Washington, D.C.

The United States Women’s National Team’s third match during the June-July international window will be against Canada on July 2. The friendly will be played at Audi Field, the home of the Washington Spirit.

Canada is currently ranked 7th overall in the FIFA rankings and is the second-highest ranked Concacaf team, behind the USWNT.

This will be the first USWNT-Canada match for the head coaches of both teams, Emma Hayes, and Casey Stoney, respectively.

For sponsorship reasons, the match will be branded as the third edition of the “Allstate Continental Clásico” (“Allstate” = Allstate Insurance Company). That gratuitously Spanish moniker was first used for a 2023 friendly between the United States Men’s National Team and its Mexico counterpart (USSF match page). In the 2024 edition, the U.S. Men hosted Brazil (USSF match page). Both matches ended in 1:1 draws.

February 2025 International Window: Roster Round-Up

Here are quick summaries of the rosters for the following women’s national teams:

For the rosters of the United States Women’s National Team (#1), Australia (#15), Colombia (#21), and Japan (#8), which are all participating in the SheBelieves Cup, see “2025 SheBelieves Cup: Roster Round-Up, Match Schedule, and TV/Streaming Details”.

CANWNT: Casey Stoney announced as new head coach of the Canada Women’s National Team

On Monday, Canada Soccer officially announced the appointment of former San Diego Wave head coach Casey Stoney as the next head coach of the Canada Women’s National Team. Details of Stoney’s contract, namely its length, were not made public.

Stoney’s first matches as head coach of Canada will be a trio of friendlies at the Pinatar Cup in Spain during the February international window. The opponents for these matches have not yet been publicly announced.

At least part of Stoney’s salary and/or benefits are being funded through non-revenue sources, including donations to Canada Soccer. From the press release:

Stoney’s appointment is supported by philanthropic contributions to Canada Soccer, and she is the first beneficiary of a new fund established specifically to support women in elite coaching.

DroneGate: Canada Soccer releases findings, Bev Priestman is officially out as WNT head coach, plus new reporting from Radio-Canada

On Tuesday, November 12th, Canada Soccer released a redacted “summary” version of the report of an independent investigation into the drone spying incidents at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

The summary report’s findings are fairly limited, which is positive news for the Canada Women’s National Team. In addition to the 2024 Summer Olympics incidents, the investigation also determined that “surreptitious surveillance” also occurred at two “tournaments” between June 2022 and March 2024 (¶21 to ¶27), but not at the COVID-delayed 2020 Summer Olympics (¶28). However, nowhere in the published report does it directly address the allegation of spying at the Tokyo Olympics that was reported by TSN’s Rick Westhead back in July.

The summary report also stated that the players of the Canada WNT did not watch the footage obtained at the 2024 Summer Olympics, but that is based only on the statement of one person (¶20). Notably, the summary report does not mention whether players of the Canada WNT had seen earlier drone footage, nor does it discuss if any players were aware of the drone spying.

With the release of the summary report, Canada Soccer also confirmed that Bev Priestman is no longer the head coach of the Canada WNT:

The three individuals currently suspended by FIFA will not be returning. The search for a new head coach for the Women’s National Team will commence shortly.

Additional confidential HR measures are being evaluated and will be taken in response to the findings of the investigation.

The “three individuals” are head coach Bev Priestman, performance analyst Joseph Lombardi (the operator of the drone at the Paris Olympics), and assistant coach Jasmine Mander (who was Lombardi’s direct report).

On Monday, the day before the summary report was released, Radio-Canada, the French-language division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, published an article based on interviews with about 20 persons, including at least one Canada WNT player: “Details emerge of Canada Soccer’s ‘obsessed’ culture of drone spying”.

Note: All “¶” citations refer to numbered paragraphs in the summary report.

October 2024 International Window Guide — Schedule of Notable Matches, plus USA Streaming and TV Details

While the United States Women’s National Team celebrates its gold medal performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics this international window with three friendlies, tops teams in Europe are regrouping and preparing for Women’s Euro 2025. Among them, Olympic bronze medalists Germany, under new head coach Christian Wück, takes on England in a re-match of the 2022 final. Meanwhile, reigning Women’s World Cup champions Spain, who finished fourth at the Olympics, hosts a headless Canada that will be managed “collectively” by an interim staff which includes retired player Diana Matheson.

In the USA, both matches, which will be played on Friday, October 25th, and will stream live. The England-Germany match is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. EDT on the free CBS Sports Golazo Network, while Spain-Canada will stream via the paid Paramount+ app at 4:00 p.m. EDT.

Read on for…

Schedule of matches
USA Streaming and TV details
Links to team rosters

Olympics 2024: Quarterfinals Recaps and Highlights

Knockout bracket (with quarterfinal results) for the women’s soccer tournament at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Saturday’s quarterfinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics did not lack drama:

The USWNT needed a 105th minute goal from Trinity Rodman to defeat Japan’s stifling defense.
Colombia was minutes away from eliminating reigning Women’s World Cup champions Spain, but a late stoppage time goal by Irene Paredes, followed by a strong penalty shootout performance, saw Spain advance.
Canada and Germany went scoreless for 120 minutes, but Ann-Katrin Berger was the hero Germany needed during the penalty shootout as she stopped two kicks and made the decisive kick to see the 2016 gold medalists through.
France had their chances against Brazil, including a missed penalty kick by Sakina Karchaoui, but Gabi Portilho made the most of hers, sending Brazil through to their sixth Olympic semifinal.

2024 Olympics: Final Group Standings and Quarterfinal Match-Ups

Knockout bracket for the women’s soccer tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics

On Saturday, August 3rd, the eight remaining teams in the women’s soccer tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics will be reduced to the four medal contenders once that day’s quarterfinals concludes.

Among the teams still standing are the United States Women’s National Team, who topped their group for only the second time at the Olympics, and will face off against Japan for the fourth time in an Olympics knockout match. Spain, the reigning Women’s World Cup champions, are looking to win their first Olympic gold medal. Meanwhile, the current gold medal holders, Canada, despite their 6 point deduction, made it through to knockout phase and will face the 2016 gold medalists, Germany. Also in the hunt are both South American sides: Brazil, who will be without Marta due to a red card suspension, and Colombia, who are hoping to advance to their first Olympic semifinal. Host France, buoyed by the goal-scoring of Marie-Antoinette Katoto, are still looking to win their first major championship.

In the United States, the only way to watch the quarterfinal matches live with English-language commentary is via streaming, either through Peacock (via subscription) or, if one has a multichannel service provider, then the NBC Sports app or NBCOlympics.com. However, all four quarterfinal matches will air live on Telemundo and Universo.

2024 Olympics: Match Day 3 Recap and Video Highlights

The final day of group play more-or-less went as expected, except for Marta earning a straight red for a reckless lunging kick that narrowly missed striking Spain’s Olga Carmona in the cheek.

France, thanks to Canada’s points deduction, the USA, and Spain all won their groups, while Canada, Germany, and Japan advanced as the runners-up in their respective groups. Colombia and Brazil advanced as the higher-ranked third-place teams. Australia, as the lowest third-ranked team, along with New Zealand, Zambia, and Nigeria were eliminated from the competition.

DroneGate: Canada’s 6 Point Deduction Upheld by CAS, FIFA Appeal Decision Published

On Wednesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport issued a media release (PDF) stating that the appeal by Canada Soccer and the Canadian Olympic Committee “has been dismissed”.

Also on Wednesday, FIFA uploaded the 25-page decision of the FIFA Appeal Committee (PDF)* which outlines the evidence and reasoning of the Committee for its 6 points deduction against the Canadian WNT along with the other punishments, including the one year suspension of head coach Bev Priestman.

*While the cover letter of the document has a “28 July 2024” date, the “modified date” timestamp on the PDF file is “7/31/24, 7:00:32 AM”.

The FIFA decision includes evidence that has not been previously reported, including a March 2024 email from Bev Priestman that discusses “spying” against opponents with a Canada Soccer official (who is/was apparently involved in human resources).