Q&A: Why this soccer coach wants a women’s pro soccer team in Edmonton

An Edmonton coach is pushing to get a professional women’s soccer team in Alberta’s capital city.

Marni Devlin Moses has been a high-level youth soccer coach for years. After the Northern Super League (NSL) launched last year, she felt Edmonton should have an elite pro team of its own.

The NSL is the first and only professional women’s soccer league in Canada, with teams in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. 

Moses started a petition in August for the NSL to bring a franchise to Edmonton, which has already surpassed 1,200 signatures. Organizers in Winnipeg launched a similar petition, and were able to successfully gain a franchise for the upcoming 2027 season.

In a statement to CBC News on Friday, the NSL said it was aware of the petition, and while no formal expansion decisions have been made, it finds the support from the Edmonton community promising.

"Hearing such a strong demand for professional women's soccer is incredibly encouraging as we build our inaugural season," the league said.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What prompted you to start this petition now?

I've been coaching soccer for many years — and it's high level elite youth girls soccer. 

I see these girls working so hard every day, and once they get into university, there's no professional pathway for them. 

So, I really wanted to push since Canada finally has a league and I just really wanted to get a franchise here in Edmonton.

With the petition already surpassing 1,200 signatures, what does that tell you about the community’s response?

It tells me that we have a huge soccer community in Edmonton and that we want to see women's professional soccer. 

I see it first hand. I still play, even though I'm