TORONTO — Leah Pais is stoked about kicking off her Northern Super League career with AFC Toronto at BMO Field.
"I have only ever watched teams play there. I've never had the privilege of playing there," said the 23-year-old midfielder/forward from nearby Mississauga. "And to be able to step on the field for the first time, wearing the AFC jersey at BMO Field, is honestly surreal. It's a dream come true.
"I know it's maybe something small for other players but I'm hometown. To me this is what it means to represent Toronto — going out there, completing the whole cycle of playing abroad, coming back home and then wearing your city's jersey at the biggest soccer stadium in the city. So it'll be an amazing experience and I'm so excited to get things kicked off, especially at BMO Field."
The new six-team women's pro league announced Thursday that Vancouver Rise FC and Toronto will both open the season on big stages.
Vancouver will host Calgary Wild FC at B.C. Place Stadium on April 16 in the first fixture of the new league, with Toronto entertaining Montreal Roses FC three days later at BMO Field in the second.
Both games are one-offs. Vancouver will stage its remaining home games at Swangard Stadium in suburban Burnaby, while Toronto will play the rest of its home schedule at York Lions Stadium, which is also home to the Canadian Premier League's York United FC.
Pais, who arrives from a pro team in Iceland, says while she has seen one Toronto FC game at BMO Field, all her other trips there were to see the Canadian women play.
"That's what it's all about," she said. "From sitting in the stands as a little girl to watching the women's national team, to then being able to put on Toronto's jersey and play on that field, I think that's what the full cycle of a journey and of my football career is about.
"Going and seeing all these girls and wanting to be like them. Putting in the work, on and off the field. And then just coming home and playing in Ontario's biggest soccer stadium. To me, that what's everything that I've done is about and that's what I continue to do, and hopefully inspire younger generations."
Toronto sporting director Billy Wilson welcomes the chance to run his team out at BMO Field.
"Hopefully we can make it a day to remember," he said.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
