When professional women’s soccer was announced in Canada, Vancouver was one of the inaugural members, a part of the unveiling of this historic league. Today, that team officially got a name and a badge.
Welcome, Vancouver Rise FC.
A badge of teal, black and gold, it features the three mountains iconic to the Vancouver skyline and a rising sun with six points, one to represent each of the founding clubs of the Northern Super League.
Whitecaps women’s sporting director Stephanie Labbé revealed the name and badge at a packed launch party.
“[The name] feels empowering,” she said. “I feel like I get excited with it. And I can immediately picture what it means to rise. I think it’s also where we are in this day and age, like the rise of women’s sports, the rise of women’s soccer. But there’s also the nod to Vancouver and this city and having the ocean rising up to these big towerous mountains and just the feeling of sea to sky.”
Vancouver is the second-last team to reveal their name; Calgary Wild FC, AFC Toronto, Halifax Tides FC and Ottawa Rapid FC have all done so previously. The unnamed Montreal team is yet to announce a date for their launch.
Labbé called it a “landmark moment for professional sports in Canada.”
“Vancouver Rise FC will be a team that will inspire generations to come, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone to be a part of it.”
The six-team Northern Super League will kick off their inaugural season in April of next year with a 25-match schedule. The regular season will be followed by a playoff.
Additional details for the Rise, such as player signings or where the team will play their home matches, are still unknown.
However, representatives of the club and league said information will be coming within the next few weeks.