The Pitch: Women, Sport and the Fight for Equity

A free film screening and panel conversation on women’s rights, gender equity and the future of professional sport in Canada.

January 28, 2026

People stand on a stadium field during a pre-game ceremony as large Canadian flags are held behind them, filling the background with red and white. Partially obscured.

Photo: Jennifer Gauthier

Event details

Cost:
Free, registration required.
Location:
Bonnie & John Buhler Hall, Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Schedule:
January 28, 2026, 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Language and Accessibility:
This event is offered primarily in English with English subtitles for the screening. French language and ASL interpretation are available upon request. Please contact public.programs@humanrights.ca by January 14.

Despite winning multiple Olympic medals in soccer, Canada was one of the last nations without a women’s pro league. Tired of chasing their dreams abroad, players took matters into their own hands.

The Pitch captures the moment Canadian women’s soccer finally changed after years of talk, stalled promises and a glaring absence at the heart of the game.

For decades, the idea of a professional women’s soccer league in Canada was discussed, delayed and dismissed. Without a domestic league, something fundamental was missing: a future at home, a pathway for the next generation, and recognition that excellence deserves more than temporary opportunity. This documentary tells the story of the women who refused to let that absence define them.

At the centre is Diana Matheson — Olympic medallist, fire starter and builder — alongside former teammates who decide that waiting is no longer an option. What follows is a hard‐fought journey marked by risk, resistance and resolve, as these athletes transform decades of conversation into action and bring Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league to life.

The Pitch is a story of women claiming space, challenging inequity and building systems that were never designed to include them. It is about leadership born from lived experience and the fight to ensure women’s sport is valued not just in moments of victory, but in structure, sustainability and legacy.

Following the screening, Diana Matheson and Desiree Scott will join moderator Sara Orlesky for a live panel conversation exploring the film’s themes of women’s rights, gender equity in sport, and what it means to fight — and win — lasting change.

The evening concludes with an audience Q&A, offering a rare opportunity to engage directly with the women who didn’t wait for permission, and in doing so, made “her‐story.”

Immerse yourself in the moment Canada’s women’s professional soccer story finally begins.

About the Speakers

Diana Matheson

Diana Matheson is a two‐time Olympic bronze medallist and former member of Canada’s Women’s National Soccer Team, representing Canada more than 200 times between 2003 and 2021. She competed in four FIFA World Cups and three Olympic Games and is widely remembered for scoring the game‐winning goal in the bronze medal match at the London 2012 Olympics. Following her playing career, Matheson earned an Executive MBA from the Smith School of Business and a UEFA Master for International Players. She is the co‐founder of the Northern Super League (NSL), Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league, which launched in April 2025.

Desiree Scott

Nicknamed “The Destroyer” for her tenacious style of play, Desiree Scott is a four‐time Olympian and three‐time Olympic medallist, winning gold in Tokyo 2020 and bronze in London 2012 and Rio 2016. She represented Canada 188 times internationally and competed in three FIFA World Cups. Scott retired from professional and international soccer in 2025 after captaining the Ottawa Rapid during the inaugural season of the Northern Super League. A proud Manitoban, she remains committed to growing the women’s game.

Moderator: Sara Orlesky

Sara Orlesky is a Canadian sports broadcaster, journalist and producer. She currently serves as a senior host and producer for the Winnipeg Jets, delivering in‐depth reporting, features and live game coverage. Orlesky has been recognized as a leading voice in Canadian sports media, with The Globe and Mail naming her among the top young female sports broadcasters in Canada.

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