By: Quin Kohlman, SFU Student
The newly established women’s soccer team, Vancouver Rise FC, is ready to move mountains in the Vancouver sporting world. As part of the Northern Super League (NSL), the first women’s soccer league in Canada, this team isn’t just about scoring goals and winning matches; it’s about promoting gender equality and the inclusion of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in sports. With Canadian soccer icons like Christine Sinclair and Stephanie Labbé on the Rise’s executive team and Canadian national team star, Quinn, on the pitch, this team is sure to turn heads in their spring 2025 debut.
Although there is still a long way to go, women’s sports have been steadily gaining traction in Canada. According to Statistics Canada, women and girls represent 49% of all sports participants in the country, yet they receive less media coverage and fewer sponsorships than men. There are two professional men’s soccer leagues in Canada, the MLS and the CPL — both of these leagues have a team in Vancouver, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS) and Vancouver FC (CPL). The Rise will be the first independent women’s professional team of any sport in Vancouver.
“The establishment of the Vancouver Rise brings more than just a new team to cheer for; it represents a powerful movement towards inclusivity in Vancouver.”
The Rise’s establishment brings more than just a new team to cheer for. This team has the potential to inspire young girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals who may have previously felt marginalized by the men’s sports teams in Vancouver. With many other professional women’s sporting leagues across the world fostering a safe place for women and 2SLGBTQIA+ athletes and fans, we can hope to see the same from the NSL and the Rise.
The success of women’s sports in Vancouver in the Canadian Women’s National Soccer team and the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Takeover Tour shows promise for high interest in women’s sports and proves why Vancouver can support a professional women’s team. On December 5 2024, Rise part-owner and Canadian soccer legend, Sinclair, played her last game with the Canadian Women’s Soccer Team and drew record-breaking numbers of over 48,000 fans to BC Place. Earlier this year, the PWHL Takeover Tour brought 19,038 fans to Rogers Arena, surpassing the Vancouver Canucks’ January 2025 average of 18,942 fans. With the continued outcry of support for women’s sports in Vancouver, it is clear to see the Rise can succeed.
In a city renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and cultural richness, the Vancouver Rise is crafting a new narrative — one where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, and rise.
