Saskatoon, Regina tabbed as potential expansion markets for Women's Football Alliance
It's crunch time for the Saskatoon Valkyries, less than 48 hours away from competing for a fifth consecutive Western Women's Canadian Football League title.
The Valkyries are preparing to hit the road for Edmonton and visit the Arctic Pride on Saturday in the WWCFL championship game.
'I think we're just ready to dial in, focus on the specifics of our game against their game and see where it takes us,' said Valkyries offensive line vet Alyssa Funk.
Off the field, however, buzz is swirling around women's tackle football circles regarding the Women's Football Alliance and their push to expand north of the border in 2026.
Established in 2009, the WFA has grown to become the largest women's tackle football league in the United States and includes 14 teams in their pro division, with another 46 teams across the country playing in their Division II and Division III ranks.
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Partnering with Ontario marketing agency Cosmos Sports & Entertainment, the WFA is now pushing to expand to a Canadian division with the goal of adding up to six teams in the new year.
'Why is this not in Canada?' said Cosmos president Cary Kaplan. 'It's successful in the States, it's got big viewership on ESPN, it's growing. With the CFL and the strength of football in Canada, it really should have a Canadian presence.'
Aiming to begin play for their Canadian division as early as next spring, the WFA has its eyes set on potential teams in Saskatchewan with the push to acquire interested investors in both Saskatoon and Regina.
According to Kaplan, both markets were determined to have potential for expansion due to the facilities in both cities and the passion for football in the province.
'There's no better spot,' said Kaplan. 'Saskatchewan is the capital of football in the country. People in Winnipeg would argue that they're in the race, too, but I think that's really where the heart of football is and women's football.'
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Saskatchewan has been served by both the Valkyries and Regina Riot since the WWCFL launched as a league in 2011, combining to win every league championship since its inaugural season.
With the WFA promoting a professional opportunity for women to earn a sum of money while playing, Funk said it's an interesting framework which she is eager to learn more about.
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'It's exciting,' said Funk. 'Getting to see the women's game grow especially is huge. It looks like they're doing some really good work in the States, so I'm curious to see where it's going to go from there.'
According to Valkyries head coach Pat Barry, the WFA has not yet reached out to either the team or the WWCFL about what the potential expansion would mean for their member clubs.
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Saskatoon Valkyries overcoming young roster, chasing fifth straight WWCFL title
However, this isn't the first time the team has interacted with the WFA, as they played a team based out of Las Vegas in 2019.
'I'd be interested to see what they're thinking about, I know we have a league here in Western Canada,' said Barry. 'They are probably the biggest women's league in the world. They've been around for a long time and like I've said, we've already played a team in the WFA.'
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Football Saskatchewan has entered into preliminary discussions with WFA representatives over the last few weeks, though CEO Jeff Yausie added there are still a lot of questions about what the process would look like and if a franchise could be established in less than a year's time.
When it comes to the appetite for such a program in either Saskatoon or Regina, however, Yausie believes players would be interested with a move away from their current 'pay to play' model.
'I think it's a natural progression,' said Yausie. 'It's a matter of when it happens, not if it happens. I don't know if it's in the next year or two, or not. I'm excited about filling the stands and role models for girls that are playing flag and tackle (football).'
He added the possibility of a television contract, similar to what the WFA has built with ESPN2, is intriguing for Football Saskatchewan.
While the league is aiming to bring in six markets to start, Kaplan said they are prepared to move forward with the Canadian Division in the spring which would play in the WFA pro ranks alongside American teams.
Kaplan also said the WFA isn't viewing the WWCFL as competition, but as a potential partner as they look for owners coast to coast to invest in franchises.
'We have great respect for the system and we would want to work closely (with them),' said Kaplan. 'We're not there yet. Once we get some backing behind it I think we would have serious discussions with the (WWCFL) and any existing teams about a collaboration.'
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Playing with the Valkyries since 2019, wide receiver Rachelle Smith believes the increased interest in women's sports will mean even more growth for women's football in the province.
Smith wants to be a part of that movement, whether it's with the Valkyries or as part of a new professional league.
'It would be a sweet opportunity,' said Smith. 'Any chance that women get to play football, get out there and show younger girls that it's a sport that they can get into, play and gain confidence in… I think it's an awesome opportunity.'
The Valkyries will kick off the 2025 WWCFL championship game against the Edmonton Arctic Pride at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.
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