Growth in women's soccer opens up greater career opportunities for athletes.

Growth in women's soccer opens up greater career opportunities for athletes.

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¡Hola! The boom in women's soccer's popularity has sparked a flurry of opportunities for players aspiring to make a career out of the sport.

Previously, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) was the dominant professional women's league in North America. However, new players have joined the market recently, such as the USL's Super League, and the Northern Super League in Canada.

Now, it seems that lower-tier leagues are on the rise too. The NWSL has urged United States Soccer to sanction a second-division league with at least six teams and a potential launch in 2026. Additionally, the WPSL Pro will debut next year as a second-tier league.

As progress, according to Amanda Vandervort, president of the USL Super League, the plethora of options can only benefit everyone in the soccer ecosystem. She stated, "Competition is good for the development of the game."

Sitting atop the tier of women's professional soccer in the United States alongside the NWSL, the Super League has an 8-team lineup. The league operates on a fall-to-spring schedule similar to many international leagues and is currently in its first season. An additional team will join next season.

Despite not having the same national profile, attendance, or level of competition as the NWSL, the two leagues are not necessarily designed as rivals. Instead, growth is essential for the sport's business.

NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman echoes this sentiment, believing there's room for everyone: "There are countless examples of players who were unsigned in our league who ended up going to some of those other leagues."

Both leagues share mutual benefits, with the NWSL's Washington Spirit loaning several players to the Dallas Trinity of the Super League this season. Gotham FC played friendlies against Fort Lauderdale United and Tampa Bay Sun of the league as well.

Joining the fray is the Northern Super League, which recently started in Canada. This league has been a dream of former national team star Diana Matheson for a long time and gained a boost from Christine Sinclair, international soccer's all-time leading goal scorer.

Canada was one of just two countries that played in the 2023 Women's World Cup without a domestic professional league, the other being Haiti. Although most players in the league are Canadian, it represents 20 other countries as well. The league's minimum salary is $50,000.

Diana Matheson expresses her excitement about the league's potential, "We've got three very competitive tier-one women's pro leagues in our region that can work together to build that landscape."

Liga MX Femenil, a league in Mexico, is the most established women's professional league in North America outside the NWSL. It consists of 18 teams all related to men's teams.

Mariana Gutierrez, league president, explained, "The interest in women's soccer is growing…, and that allows us to talk about how much the game has been developing in the country."

With the possibility of U.S. Soccer sanctioning the lower-division NWSL league, it could serve to develop players within the greater soccer ecosystem, linking amateur soccer and the top tier. Cleveland Soccer Group, which bid for NWSL expansion, has decided to join the WPSL Pro division 2 instead. The group, which will also have an ownership stake in the league, will join teams from Atlanta, Dallas, North Carolina, Oklahoma City, Sioux Falls, and the San Francisco Bay Area in the league's first season next year.

As Vandervort says, "Rising demand calls for more options, not fewer." With the addition of these leagues, there are still fewer professional opportunities for women in soccer compared to men. However, the more women's soccer, the better, with increased opportunities for players, coaches, staff, and overall excitement for fans. 🏆🥇🌟

1. The surge in women's soccer's popularity has led to an array of business opportunities, especially for players striving to establish careers in the sport.
2. The recent entry of leagues like the USL's Super League and the Northern Super League in Canada signals a growing market in women's soccer.
3. Amanda Vandervort, president of the USL Super League, believes that the abundance of options in women's soccer is positive for the growth and development of the sport.
4. Sitting parallel to the NWSL, the Super League operates on a fall-to-spring schedule and is currently in its first season.
5. Although the Super League and NWSL are not direct rivals, they share mutual benefits, with instances of player loan partnerships and friendly matches between teams.
6. The Northern Super League, recently established in Canada, is a dream come true for former national team star Diana Matheson and international soccer's all-time leading goal scorer, Christine Sinclair.

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