NSL Hits Nation’s Capital With Ottawa Rapid FC

The last Northern Super League launch team to be announced has outpaced some of the other teams to reveal its branding, colours, and even some front office additions.

Professional women’s soccer will come to Canada’s capital through Ottawa Rapid FC, which was unveiled at a club presentation at TD Place today – where the brand new club will share a pitch with Atletico Ottawa and the Red Blacks.

NSL co-founder Thomas Gilbert will be the CEO of the side, stating that he jumped at the opportunity to bring women’s professional soccer to a city in which he has deep personal connections.

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The name Rapid FC stems from a double-meaning between the sense of speed and progress and the connection to the geology Ottawa Valley, with the owners working with an agency named Critical Mass to vet their club title selection.

Tying things further into Ottawa is the symbol of Peregrine Falcon on the badge, which is native to Ottawa and the fastest member in the animal kingdom, too. There looks to be a tulip on the top, with the club stating the badge’s negative space represents Ottawa’s trio of rivers in the Ottawa, Rideau, and Gatineau. The blue-centric colour palette uses shades inspired by water and sky, while the club will use a neon orange colour accent that pays homage to the Centennial Flame.

Club CEO Tom Gilbert also confirmed three key front office additions for the club: OSEG executive Stephanie Spruston will join as the club’s Chief Operating Officer in September, with former national team member Kristina Kiss already active as technical director and McGill University’s Heidi Bloomfield joining as Chief Sport Officer.

“We are here today to continue the push for gender equity in sport so that every kid growing up can be inspired by icons who look like them,” says Gilbert. “When the opportunity came up to take on a role as the owner and operator of a club, with my deep personal connections in Ottawa, seeing the way that this city has rallied behind women’s sports, and knowing the incredible soccer community that exists here, I jumped at the opportunity to bring a team to this city.”

Ottawa Rapid FC says it will release information about season tickets over the coming weeks. They become the fourth NSL launch team to unveil their branding, behind the Calgary Wild, AFC Toronto, and the Halifax Tides, with Vancouver and Montreal still awaiting their own brand launches.

The Northern Super League will bring domestic professional women’s soccer to the national capital and is slated for kickoff in April 2025.