AGR: After a successful inaugural campaign, the NSL is looking to pick up where it left off in year two
The Northern Super League returns this weekend, as the league is set to kick off its second campaign.
Fittingly, the second season will kick off on a high note, too, as the Vancouver Rise are set to host AFC Toronto in a rematch of the 2025 final, which the Rise won 2-1.
After how the season ended, which finished with the Rise lifting the first-ever Diana B. Matheson Cup after Toronto had lifted the first-ever Supporters Shield, both teams will be eager to build on their strong debut campaigns and to continue the budding rivalry that was on display in that final.
The next chapter starts where we left off — an NSL Final rematch. 🔥
— Northern Super League (@NorthernSuperLg) April 23, 2026
⚽️ Vancouver Rise vs AFC Toronto
🗓️ Friday, April 24 | 7PM PT | 10PM ET
🎙️ Pregame on TSN at 6:30PM PT | 9:30PM ET
NSL Matchday presented by @BMO pic.twitter.com/Bs7e5Mdu8m
Yet, they’re not the only teams that will have plenty to prove heading into year two. The Ottawa Rapid were arguably the surprise revelation of 2025 but were unable to turn that into any trophies, while the Montréal Roses will feel they’ve got a bit to prove after underperforming expectations, even if they made the playoffs in the end. Meanwhile, the two teams that missed out on the postseason, the Calgary Wild and Halifax Tides, will feel capable of having what it takes to reach the playoffs in 2026.
Because of that, it’s expected to be a competitive season, one that could yield some surprises, especially after the busy offseasons that each of the six sides had.
But while fans of each side will be hoping that their teams will be able to lift hardware at the end of the year, there are several players worth watching, as they look to build off what ended up being quite a strong 2025 for individual players within the league.
From players who are already well-known, such as Kaylee Hunter, Delaney Baie Pridham and Quinn, to newcomers to the league, such as Mia Pante and Mya Jones (although Jones was on Toronto’s roster last year, she didn’t play due to a long-term injury), as well as those who have moved within the league, such as Lisa Pechersky and Stella Downing, there are no shortage of exciting players to keep an eye on this year.
That’s exciting, because a big storyline in 2025 ended up being the way some players were immediately able to shine in the NSL despite being a new league, using it to elevate their status as players. Four of the biggest examples of that were Canadians Pridham, Hunter, Emma Regan and Holly Ward, who have all featured for the CanWNT since the launch of the NSL, with Regan and Ward also earning moves to NWSL sides Denver Summit and Seattle Reign, respectively, this offseason after impressing in 2025.
Along with the impressive play of internationals such as Esther Okoronkwo, that’s been key to the success of the league in 2025, as they made sure that the quality of the league was as good as can be from day one. That a top 10 National Team side like CanWNT wasn’t shy in offering opportunities and call-up to players from a league that early in its existence shows that.
ICONIC MOMENTS ✨
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) April 23, 2026
NSL stars Kaylee Hunter, D.B. Pridham, Chloe Minas, Anna Bout, Karima Lemire & Meggie Dougherty Howard reflect on their favourite inaugural season memories, ahead of tomorrow's SEASON TWO opener 😎 ✌️ pic.twitter.com/zCUrGSM24D
At the end of the day, the NSL’s big goal is to improve the development of women’s soccer in this country, and it immediately stepped up in a way that many thought wouldn’t be possible for a few years. When seeing the platform it has so far offered for players, young and old, Canadian and otherwise, that much is clear.
Because of that, it’ll be fascinating to see which players are able to step up in 2026. Who will be the next youngster to follow in the footsteps of Hunter, who was able to earn key professional minutes at a stage of her career where most players her age tend to head to college? Who will be the next Pridham, who elevates into an NSL star after not being able to find much of a foothold elsewhere professionally? Who will be the next international to light up the league the way Okorwonkwo did?
It’s no small detail that halfway through the league’s inaugural season, NSL teams were able to attract players such as Sarah Stratigakis, Zoe Burns, Julia Benati and Olivia Mbala, showing that the league’s early success is already attracting interest from elsewhere, especially Canadian players and those with Canadian roots playing abroad.
While the NSL was meant to fill a developmental gap that exists for young Canadians, it’s also got a mission to be a top league in the world, and those signings mark a step in the right direction in that regard, as do some of the moves we’ve seen from teams this winter.
Now that the first year is done, the talk will shift from the work done to get the league underway to finding ways to elevate the league towards its long-stated goals, both on and off the pitch, and a great way to help do that will be to continue to develop that exciting product on the pitch.
Based on what we saw in year one, that will not be a problem, so now, look for these players to elevate their games as they look to step up in a big way in year two.
With teams hungry for success, led by coaches hungry to prove themselves, the table is set for the players to once again take centre stage in this season, helping further prove the mission of this league and grow the women's game in Canada.
