Rosebuds: The meteoric rise of the Montreal Roses

The team speaks on the early success of the league and their plan for the future

SportsSamuel Kayll — Published August 11, 2025 4 minutes

But Montreal didn’t just participate—they won, eking out a 1-0 victory over the current league leaders and kicking off the 2025 campaign with a victory. The Roses’ sporting director Marinette Pichon celebrated the moment as a statement of the club’s values and intentions in the newly formed NSL. 

“This was a moment we’ve been waiting for a long time. The players delivered a performance full of intensity, discipline and solidarity,” Pichon said. “It’s a hard-fought victory that perfectly represents the club’s values: commitment and passion.”

As the season progresses, it’s easy to look back and see how that first game and its record-breaking numbers have set the stage for the Montreal Roses in their first year as a professional club.

Whether on or off the field, within the locker room, front office or community, the Roses have fully established themselves as a staple of Montreal’s professional sports scene. And there’s plenty of room to grow.

The first step for the Roses was establishing a culture that resonated with the city and the fans. Nathalie Vachon, the Roses’ VP of strategies and communications, emphasized the importance of a team connected to its supporters and ingrained in everyday life. 

“Fans want more than just games; they want to belong to a movement,” Vachon said. “This is a work in progress, and every step we take now, on the field, in the locker room, and in the community, is an investment in long-term excellence.”

Even the team’s jerseys reflect the goal of community-based connection. Montreal-born artist Niti Marcelle Mueth designed the team’s blue-and-red patterned home kit as an ode to the city and its vibrant identity.

“This forward-thinking design embraces originality and fearlessness, visually expressing the unwavering determination of the Roses,” the club said in a press release. “The intricate print serves as a symbol of a new era in women’s sports, where courage, artistry, and ambition come together to break barriers and set trends.”

And the barriers have kept falling as the season progresses. The NSL has already garnered sponsorship deals with major brands like Coca-Cola, Toyota and Canadian Tire.

But Montreal has taken the barrier-breaking a step further: establishing Stade Boréale, the home of the Roses, in Laval as the first soccer-exclusive stadium and training ground in Canada.

“In professional women’s sports, it’s still all too common for teams to share facilities and rarely be prioritized,” Vachon said. “That’s why it was so important for us to create a dedicated space, one that reflects the identity of the Roses and truly feels like home for our players.”

The club has also emphasized its long-term sustainability by making moves to expand the fan base throughout Montreal. Moves like signing Quebec-born talents such as Stéphanie Hill, Mara Bouchard, Félicia Roy and Lorie Thibault support the team’s initiative to increase local intrigue and provide young players in Montreal with professional role models.

“By welcoming these high-potential local players into our professional league, we are taking a stand so that local talent can evolve at the highest level,” Pichon said. “Each player brings unique skills and fresh energy that will enrich our group. Together, we are going to make history and create beautiful memories on the pitch.”

That includes community initiatives focused on the development of youth soccer programs to increase the buzz around the sport. 

“A key focus will be investing in youth development pipelines, especially for girls, to ensure the next generation has both the visibility and the opportunity to dream big,” Vachon said. “Ultimately, our goal is to make the Roses not only a cornerstone of Montreal’s sports scene, but a cultural institution recognized worldwide.”

And the Roses have become that cornerstone; it shows in the fans that pack Stade Boréale, the enthusiasm from the players at being part of something historic, and an organization unsatisfied with simply arriving.

The Montreal Roses are here to stay, and while the road ahead surely contains some thorns, these Roses can’t wait to bloom.