ORLANDO, Fla. (January 25, 2017) – The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) announced today the official list of Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team subsidized players for the 2017 season. A total of 10 Canadians will be participating as subsidized players in the upcoming NWSL season.
Orlando Pride players Josée Bélanger and Kaylyn Kyle, who were both subsidized in 2016, will not be subsidized by Canada for the 2017 NWSL season. The Pride have passed on retaining both players’ rights and making them available for selection in the NWSL Distribution Draft.
The Pride have no international roster spots available for the 2017 season and both players currently hold international status as Canadian citizens.
Bélanger, 30, has elected to forgo the upcoming season and will remain in Montreal, where she will continue to train and prepare for upcoming matches with the Canada Women’s National Team. The defender, who won an Olympic bronze medal with Canada last year, made 14 starts during the Pride’s inaugural campaign and played 1,084 minutes, before suffering an ankle injury that kept her out the final match.
Kyle, 28, joined the Pride as one of the first three players signed by the expansion Club. The midfielder was selected as an alternate for Canada’s 2016 Rio Olympic squad, but chose to remain in Orlando with the Pride. Kyle appeared in 18 matches, 16 of them starts, and totaled five shots on the year.
The following is a club-by-club list of Canadian subsidized players for the 2017 NWSL season:
Boston Breakers: Allysha Chapman
Chicago Red Stars: None
Houston Dash: Janine Beckie, Nichelle Prince
FC Kansas City: Desiree Scott
North Carolina Courage: Sabrina D’Angelo
Orlando Pride: None
Portland Thorns FC: Christine Sinclair
Seattle Reign FC: Diana Matheson
Sky Blue FC: Kailen Sheridan
Washington Spirit: Stephanie Labbé, Shelina Zadorsky
* = New Player in 2017
