WATCH: Diana Matheson is building a women's pro league in Canada

Olympic Bronze Medalist Diana Matheson and business partner Thomas Gilbert announced today the launch of Project 8 and the creation of a long-awaited Women’s Professional Soccer League in Canada.

Under the banner of Project 8 Sports Inc. and in partnership with founding partners CIBC and Air Canada, Matheson and a team of Canadian sports leaders are preparing to alter the women’s soccer landscape in Canada permanently.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Calgary Foothills Soccer Club are confirmed to be the first two of eight teams competing in the league, which will kick off in 2025. Project 8 actively engages with additional potential partners, prioritizes woman-led groups wherever possible, and expects the six remaining teams to be confirmed in 2023. The league will operate nationwide through two conferences, each comprising four teams.

"We are thrilled to announce that the development of a Canadian professional women’s soccer league is well underway,” said Matheson, CEO of Project 8. “Much work has gone on behind the scenes to get to today, and we want to extend our thanks to our founding partners, CIBC and Air Canada, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Calgary Foothills, who have shown leadership in creating equal opportunity and recognizing the importance of bringing professional women’s soccer to Canada."

CIBC has entered into a multi-year partnership with Project 8 that will see it carry through to the launch of the first season in 2025.

“At CIBC, we are proud to support Project 8 and its ambition to make a domestic professional women’s league a reality,” said Stephen Forbes, Executive Vice-President, Purpose, Brand and Corporate Affairs, CIBC. “Our ambition is to make soccer and our country more inclusive, more diverse and more equitable for all. We are excited to support the next generation of soccer stars and the strong women leading this effort.”

“Air Canada is very proud to be announcing its founding partnership with Project 8.  This unprecedented opportunity enables us to support the advancement of women's soccer nationally and drive community impact locally, which in turn will no doubt accelerate the development of professional women’s sport across Canada.  Air Canada has long championed gender equality particularly in non-traditional, highly specialized aviation careers and is thrilled to be working alongside Project 8 as we get one step closer to achieving gender equity across our country’s sport landscape.”, Andrew Shibata, Vice President-Brand, at Air Canada.

The league will be led primarily by former national team players, with Olympic Gold Medalists Christine Sinclair and Stephanie Labbe, General Manager of women’s soccer for Vancouver Whitecaps FC, contributing to the planning and development of the league.

“We believe it is important that women build this league, and we are committed to developing something that is built differently, for women by women,” said Sinclair. “We want to change the soccer landscape in Canada so women’s players can develop and play professionally here at home instead of having to go abroad, as every one of our national team players must do now to be successful.”

“Whitecaps FC are thrilled to be one of the first teams to sign on to a professional women’s soccer league in Canada,” said Stephanie Labbe. “The creation of this league is something we have been advocating for over many years, and to be part of seeing it come to fruition is truly exciting. We look forward to working with stakeholders across the Canadian soccer environment to make this league successful.”

“Our club has always been a big supporter of the women’s game, starting at the grassroots level through to our Girls Elite program,” said Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC sporting director. “The missing piece has been a top level professional women’s team. We are excited to be a founding member of a domestic women’s professional league in Canada.”

“Calgary Foothills FC is truly excited to be one of the founding teams behind a professional women’s soccer league in Canada.” said Deanna Zumwalt. Deanna continued “Our club has been a pioneer in women’s soccer in Canada. We’ve showcased Canada’s talent through our excellence in the United Women’s Soccer League as shown by our multiple divisional championships and twice being the runner-up league champions. We are excited to continue to offer and expand opportunities for women in sport in Canada as players, coaches, managers and investors. We support the women leaders behind this project, and we are excited to work with all those involved to advance equal opportunity in sport by making women’s professional soccer a reality in Canada.”