– Halifax’s new professional men’s soccer team to play out of new 6,000+ seat stadium at Wanderers Ground in downtown Halifax –

Halifax, NS (May 25, 2018) – The Canadian Premier League (CPL) confirmed today that HFX Wanderers will be one of the founding clubs to play in the highly-anticipated professional men’s soccer league set to debut in Spring 2019.

The announcement was made today alongside Mike Savage, Mayor of Halifax Regional Municipality, and more than 500 enthusiastic local supporters.

HFX Wanderers will be the primary tenant at a new soccer stadium at Wanderers Ground in downtown Halifax – located minutes from Citadel Hill and the city’s bustling entertainment district. The intimate venue will feature 6,000+ seats and a world-class natural grass pitch.

The club is operated by Sports & Entertainment Atlantic, which is headed up by local sports business leader Derek Martin.

HFX Wanderers promises to become a key part of Halifax’s cultural identity and social landscape, as well as a destination for the community to gather and celebrate on every match day.

Supporters can expect to see HFX Wanderers take on CPL rivals York 9 FC, Cavalry FC along with several other founding clubs to be named in the coming weeks. Early memberships to HFX Wanderers are available starting Sunday at www.HFXWanderersfootball.club

HFX Wanderers Identity and Crest Defined

The club’s name was inspired by the famous grounds at Halifax Common and the historic Wanderers Amateur Athletic Club. Established in 1882, this was the first athletic club to represent Halifax in sports competitions across the country.

The name “Wanderers” was recently coined by a group of passionate local supporters who adopted the historic moniker to help lead the efforts in attracting a Canadian Premier League club to the city and playing at this ideal downtown location.  

The HFX Wanderers emblem pays tribute to the city’s rich history and idyllic setting on the sea. The sharp of the emblem’s is inspired by the iconic Halifax Citadel. The Macdonald Bridge is a focal point uniting Halifax and Dartmouth. The Atlantic Ocean is featured prominently with the letter ‘W’ woven in the club’s name through its blue waters. The anchor at the base of the emblem is a nod to the region’s colourful nautical history.

The club’s motto “Ar Cala, Ar Dachaigh, Ar N-Anam,” which means “Our Harbour, Our Home, Our Soul” in Gaelic, was inspired by the Halifax Harbour — the city’s welcoming gateway.

The club’s official colours are “Aqua Ocean”, “Harbour Blue” and “Naval Grey” representing the sea and the region’s steel-toned skies, which come together like the Halifax community.

HFX Wanderers’ brand identity was developed by the CPL’s creative team. The league’s brand team met with hundreds of local supporters, players, volunteers, politicians and business leaders –  all of whom share a passion to build a soccer culture in Atlantic Canada.

Quotes

“Halifax is ready for professional soccer. Thank you to Derek and the team at SEA for bringing the Canadian Premier League to a city that will enthusiastically cheer on its home team.”

Mike Savage
Mayor, Halifax Regional Municipality

“We are extremely excited to welcome HFX Wanderers to the Canadian Premier League and to reward local supporters with a professional team to call their own. The passion and enthusiasm of the soccer community here has quite simply been amazing – they have been demanding a CPL club for the past year and we are thrilled to have Derek Martin leading the charge to make the Wanderers a key part of Halifax’s identity for generations to come”

David Clanachan
Commissioner, Canadian Premier League

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“HFX Wanderers is the realization of a dream to reignite the passion of our community on a historic ground, through the power of sport. Our club will respect our storied past while also embracing our exciting future as a vibrant and inclusive city ready to compete on the world stage. We accept the responsibility of representing our wonderful city and invite our community to rediscover the Wanderers Grounds as a place to gather and cheer for our new hometown team”   

Derek Martin
President, Sports & Entertainment Atlantic

About the Canadian Premier League

Canadian Premier League (CPL) is Canada’s domestic men’s soccer league set to debut in spring 2019. Playing in world-class and unique venues, and partnering with strong community-led ownership groups, The CPL will bring professional soccer to communities across our great country.

For updates and more information, please go to CanPL.ca.

Connect with us on Twitter: @CPLsoccer and #CanPL

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For additional information, please contact:

Greg McIsaac
Communications
greg.mcisaac@canpl.ca