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Published Jul 18, 2025 • Last updated 9 minutes ago • 3 minute read
U18 women’s tackle football
Robin Price of Team Ontario. A total of six teams from across Canada will compete in this year's U18 Women's National Championship at Shouldice Park in Calgary. Postmedia file photo
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The annual U18 Women’s Tackle National Championship is making its official debut in Alberta, starting Sunday.
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The games on July 20, 23 and 26 will be held at Hellard Field in Shouldice Park, and will feature the top under-18 female teams across Canada.
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Football Alberta executive director Tim Enger said this will be the fourth iteration of the championship since its inception in 2022.
“It started in Regina four seasons ago, and it’s been working great,” Enger said. “We’ve put a lot of work into offering tackle football for females, and now have strong legs in both the Edmonton and Calgary locations that are feeding into the provincial teams.”
Alberta has secured two titles in the past, but fell to the Ontario Red in last year’s final.
This year, they are looking to reclaim the top spot at home.
Hot on the heels of the Alberta U-16 team’s exhibition match against the B.C. team in Kelowna, the growth of female tackle football is an accomplishment they are proud of.
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“The national championship in Calgary is just natural,” he said. “It’s a great city to host it in, and Shouldice Park is just perfect.”
Alongside teams from Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, and the returning champs from Ontario, this year’s competition will also feature an Indigenous team comprising players from across Canada.
The six-team tournament will be determine gold and silver medallists, but the rest of the tournament will be in a round-robin format.
“We hope Alberta competes for gold again, because we’ve been doing that ever since this tournament started,” he said.
Over the past 20 years, Enger said women’s sports have been making great strides into what people would consider uncharted territory.
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“In our mind, the barriers for women playing tackle football have just been interest,” he said. “If you are interested in playing, we’ll help you get set up with that, and that’s been the drive.”
Since starting the program in the Edmonton area, work by strong female administrators overcame several challenges and brought the program to Calgary, Red Deer and Lethbridge
“We’ve had a lot of girls that are interested in playing tackle football, and it’s been a lot of fun,” he said “It’s great to see the enjoyment and the growth that people have playing this great sport.”
Since Alberta is one of the hotbeds for football, Enger said it’s a match made in heaven. Alongside their relationship with Calgary Tourism, he believes hosting the event is a win for Calgary and Alberta — and the top Canadian female athletes in football.
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As the U-18 women’s Alberta team is one of his favourites, he’s eager to see them bring the championship home.
“The Women’s U18 Team is my favourite team,” he said. “We know our boys’ teams are awesome, but maybe it’s a recency bias because girls play very well, they represent us very strongly, it’s a fun game to watch and I’ve had a great time watching it grow for the past four years.”
Carson Ackroyd, senior vice-president for Tourism Calgary, said the organization is proud to have Calgary selected as the host city for the championship, which is quickly becoming a cornerstone for young female athletes.
“Women’s football is gaining tremendous momentum across Alberta and Canada, and this event is forecasted to contribute $1.6 million in total economic impact from over 450 athletes, families and spectators, and creating new opportunities for our next generation of female athletes,” he said. “From July 18 to 25, we are thrilled to welcome participants from coast to coast with Calgary’s signature hospitality and community spirit.”
The Alberta government will also provide $200,000 through the Major Sport Event grant program to support the tournament.
Tourism and Sport Minister Andrew Boitchenko said the province is proud to support up-and-coming athletes.
“We are looking forward to hosting them in Calgary, a city with world-class facilities and known for its dedication to sport,” Boitchenko said. “These events showcase our hospitality, competitiveness and help put Alberta on the map.”
For more information on scheduling and where to watch, visit www.footballcanada.com.
dgonzalez@postmedia.com
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