[photo by "peregrine981"]

• by Kevin Curtis, writing from Miami, FL

Ottawa, the Capital City of Canada, is set to get its very own NASL team. Ottawa is currently home to one professional sports team, the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League. A second pro team, a new Canadian Football League franchise, is scheduled to debut in 2013. Earlier this week the NASL announced that there will be a third pro team coming to Ottawa in 2013.

“We welcome Ottawa to the NASL,” said NASL Commissioner David Downs. “As we continue to expand and collectively grow professional soccer in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean, Ottawa is a natural market with a vibrant business community, large soccer fan base and an exceptional ownership group.”

The new team will be owned by the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) and play home games at Frank Clair Stadium (shown above), which was built in 1908 and currently seats 26,559. A major stadium reconstruction project is expected to start later this year. There are plans for a new 24,000 seat soccer-specific downtown stadium which will be built to exact FIFA specifications.

“Residents are excited about NASL soccer, our bid for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, CFL football and other events that will take place in Ottawa, thanks to a newly redeveloped Lansdowne Park," said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson. "With 65,000 registered players in our region playing the world's game, it’s high time Ottawa had a professional soccer team and a world-class stadium.”

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Sources: NASL.com

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