Halifax clears final hurdle for pro soccer franchise, team to be announced shortly

HALIFAX – After years of leg work in Halifax, Sports & Entertainment Atlantic cleared its final hurdle to be awarded a Canadian Premier League soccer franchise over the weekend.

But it happened thousands of kilometres away.

During its weekend annual general meeting in Yellowknife, N.W.T, Canada Soccer accepted Halifax as one of four new members to the coming Canadian Premier League (CPL) starting in 2019, along with York Region, Ont., Calgary, Alta., and Port City, B.C.

In a news release, president of Canada Soccer Steven Reed called it “another landmark year for Canadian soccer as we continue to grow the game…”

“Today’s acceptance of four new professional clubs bringing the association to its highest ever total of 11 is a clear indication of the strength and potential for the game in our country,” he was quoted in the release.

The move also paves the way for approval from FIFA, the sport’s international governing body, which will still need to give final approval to the league and its clubs.

The CPL is expected to have eight teams in its inaugural season, with the first franchise to be officially launched Thursday followed by one each week for the next six to seven weeks.

Along with a Halifax team, clubs are expected in B.C., Calgary, Winnipeg, Hamilton, North York and Ottawa, with only Hamilton and Winnipeg already confirmed by the league.

Derek Martin, president and owner of SEA, the group behind the Halifax bid, called the membership vote “an important step” in a nearly two-year process to potentially bring a team to Halifax.

“Another check has gone into the box and we’re that much closer to making everything a reality,” Martin said when contacted by phone in Yellowknife on Sunday.

“We’re obviously really excited and very happy things went as we hoped here in Yellowknife,” he said, adding he sees enormous potential for professional soccer in Halifax.

“The amount of energy and excitement I hear and the messages I get, I really think we’ve got something here Halifax is going to embrace and become a key part of the summers in Halifax going forward.”

With the final approval seemingly out of the way, including a venue in a temporary pop-up stadium at the Wanderers Grounds, Martin remained coy as to when a Halifax franchise could be officially awarded.

With all four cities approved Saturday expected to be formally announced before the end of the month, Martin said the math would suggest the public should know by the end of May.

The league was originally to begin play this coming summer but has been beset by delays.

While soccer games won’t be played until 2019, the temporary pop-up stadium will make its debut shortly at the Wanderers Grounds, with the facility scheduled to host a men’s international rugby test match between Canada and U.S.A. June 23.

SEA has approval for eight “full stadium ticketed events” from June through Oct 26 of this year with rugby, soccer and football games permitted, but outdoor concerts not allowed. All events also must conclude by 8 p.m.

Martin said construction on the temporary facility, which is expected to hold roughly 6,000 spectators, will begin at the start of next month and will take about a week.

He also said more announcements about events are expected closer to the end of May.

According to SEA’s one-year lease with HRM, this year will serve as a ‘test year’ for the field at the Wanderers Grounds so city staff can make sure the condition of the field isn’t negatively impacted.

Once a soccer franchise is officially announced, HRM will negotiate a new three-year lease based on what was learned during the 2018 season.

The municipality maintains control of the field and event scheduling, while SEA bores the cost of design, construction and implementation of the stadium seating.