CALGARY — Calgary Wild FC has named Afghanistan women's soccer captain Farkhunda Muhtaj its first player signing and also announced Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey as an investor in the team.
Wild FC is one of six Northern Super League teams that will begin play in 2025 in a Canadian women's pro soccer league.
Calgary's club introduced Muhtaj and Morrissey at a Friday news conference in downtown Calgary.
"This comes with a ton of responsibility, making sure we are at the top on the pitch, but also recognizing that we have a social responsibility to our community, and that's part of the foundation of who we are at the Wild and that's certainly played a huge role into why I decided to join," Muhtaj said.
“I truly believe Calgary Wild is the perfect fit."
Muhtaj was captain of the Afghanistan women while the team played internationally, played Canadian university soccer at York University and has played professionally in Turkey and the Netherlands.
The midfielder's parents Rashad and Zohra immigrated from Afghanistan to Toronto when she was two years old.
From her home in Canada, she helped evacuate the girls youth team and their families from Afghanistan in 2021 following the Taliban takeover of the country.
In a rescue mission called Operation Soccer Balls, Muhtaj communicated with the girls and helped arrange their departure from a country that forbid the participation of women and girls in sport.
Morrissey, who is from Calgary, has joined the club's founding investor group.
The 29-year-old has started his 10th season with the Winnipeg Jets and was in Calgary ahead of Saturday's game against the Flames.
“Growing up here in Calgary as a young hockey player, I was fortunate to have an NHL team and NHL players to look up to in my city," Morrissey said.
"Watching my idols like Jarome Iginla play inspired me to chase my dream of playing in NHL. Now with Wild FC coming to Calgary, young women have the opportunity to look up to a professional women’s team playing at the highest level and look up to incredible athletes and idols like Far to help inspire them, just like my idols inspired me."
Muhtaj, 26, continues to use sport to support the settlement of refugees in Canada through the Scarborough Simbas recreational soccer team and the founding of Ayenda FC, which is the unofficial Afghan Youth National Football Team in 2021.
Women's pro soccer teams in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver are slated to start play in April 2025.
The NSL was founded by former Canadian team player and two-time Olympic bronze medallist Diana Matheson.
Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair is on board as a co-owner of the Vancouver Rise.
The Wild introduced Lara Murphy as the club's chief executive officer and Lisa Oldridge as its chief financial and operating officer earlier this week. The team will play at McMahon Stadium.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2024.
The Canadian Press
