The Canada Players’ Association, which represents the women’s national team, has filed a $40M lawsuit against Canada Soccer’s board due to alleged negligence.

Amongst those targeted in the lawsuit are 15 current and former Canada Soccer board members, including the federation’s current president Charmaine Crooks and former president Steve Reed. 

The lawsuit claims that the board members failed to fulfil their duty of care to Canada Soccer when they signed a deal with Canada Soccer Business in 2018, subsequently crippling the federation’s finances. Currently, CSB pays Canada Soccer a total of $3M each year, in turn receiving any revenue the federation gets from the national teams’ media rights and sponsorships.

With CSB entirely controlled by Canada Premier League team owners, the CPL is thriving whilst Canada Soccer is on the brink of bankruptcy. 

Last year, the Canada Women’s National Team boycotted training during the SheBelieves Cup, protesting the federation’s failure to pay them for 2022 appearances and the team’s lack of a labour agreement since 2021. The threat of legal action from Canada Soccer forced them onto the pitch in the end, but the team has not stopped fighting for gender equity and adequate support.

As CSPA looks to right the wrongs of the last six years in Canadian soccer and this lawsuit only highlights the sad reality so many women's national teams face. This same team took home gold at the last Olympics, yet they have to protest to receive minimum support from their own federation. There are many such cases in women’s football, but here's hoping this lawsuit could turn the tide for others in the future.