Ottawa Rapid FC rises with fan-first approach, igniting Ottawa’s soccer passion

Ottawa Rapid FC of the Northern Super League is capitalizing on soccer's rapid growth by building community connections and inspiring young athletes. 
 
Ottawa soccer fans’ excitement is building rapidly, thanks to the Rapid’s high-intensity, fast-paced style of play that makes each game exhilarating to watch. 
 
From its inception, the club has prioritized local engagement, says CEO Thomas Gilbert, who emphasizes that the organization’s strategy centres on acting as a positive catalyst for local sport without disrupting Ottawa’s existing ecosystem. 
 
“We’ve been really purposeful in how we’ve approached engaging with the soccer community to ensure we’re not reinventing the wheel,” Gilbert says. “We’re really trying to be additive in our fan engagement.” 
 
Giving back forms a core part of the club’s DNA. The team collaborates with the Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation, volunteers at the Parkdale Food Centre, and partners with youth clubs and schools across Ottawa to run clinics and support local initiatives. 

Inspiring Ottawa’s next generation of soccer players 

Ottawa Rapid FC’s flagship initiative, Rapid Rush, keeps youth engaged in sport. Among the local youth clubs, only 20 per cent of participants play competitively.  

“How do we get those kids who are already dabbling in soccer more excited about soccer?” Gilbert says. “Our role as a pro team at the summit of the Canadian pyramid is inspiration.” 
 
Central to that mission is providing visible role models. Historically, young Canadian athletes had hockey players like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid posters on their bedroom walls. 
 
“What we need to continue doing for soccer in Canada is giving people the [Delaney Baie] D.B. Pridhams, so young athletes can have her poster on their wall,” Gilbert explains. Visible heroes inspire young athletes—especially young girls—to identify primarily as soccer players and stay in the game. 
 
The popularity of women’s sports in Ottawa continues to inspire young athletes. A five-game win streak and 10-game unbeaten run helped spark a 71 per cent attendance increase for the Rapid after June 11, 2026. The Ottawa Charge averaged 8,131 fans per game in 2025-26, including a team record of 17,114 at the Canadian Tire Centre. Every postseason, a section of Bank Street becomes Charge Avenue to celebrate the team. 

Pop culture drives progress for women in soccer

Media representation is also drawing attention to the women’s game. In Ted Lasso Season 4, Ted returns to coach the Lady Greyhounds women’s team, leaving qualified coach Alice Chilton as an assistant. This storyline reflects a real-world issue: risk-averse owners often pass over qualified female coaches, many of whom choose more secure college jobs due to instability in pro women’s leagues. This has widened gaps in professional pathways, limiting opportunities for women to build elite coaching resumes. 

According to a recently released 2026 report, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) hopes to change that with the announcement of new coaching standards and minimum licensing requirements for women coaches. The announcement is part of their €1 billion Unstoppable strategy, a six-year plan to fund grassroots projects to create coaching and playing opportunities for women.

Gilbert believes pop culture storylines help address these structural divides. “The reality of women’s soccer is that the more people watch this team, the more they fall in love with it,” Gilbert says. “So, it’s about creating opportunities for folks to interact with it in a meaningful way.” 
 
The pathways soccer creates extend far beyond playing. While the game can lead to scholarships or professional careers, it also prepares youth for fields like sports medicine, law, media, and marketing. 
 
“What you can do with sport is so much broader than becoming a professional athlete,” Gilbert says. “If you look at the National Soccer League (NSL), there are so many jobs that have been created around sport; those are new opportunities that folks didn’t have access to before.” Sending this message to young athletes is one of our biggest priorities, Gilbert adds. 
 
The NSL’s $50,000 minimum salary tops those of the Italian, Spanish and American top flights, ensuring Canadian athletes can earn a livable wage at home. 

What fans experience at Ottawa Rapid FC games 

The inspiration cultivated off the pitch comes alive at TD Place Stadium with Gilbert’s fan-first philosophy. 

“The fan is everything at the end of the day. Everything we do is for our fans,” Gilbert says. “We’re in the fan business... we need to be hyper-focused on how we're delivering value for the folks who choose to spend their money with us, exceeding expectations with every interaction.” 

The dedicated Fan Zone in the west end offers interactive activities for everyone before kickoff. After select matches, local youth players train with Ottawa’s coaching staff and scrimmage on the pitch. 
 
“Continuously improving the events and initiatives we offer to fans is our goal,” Gilbert says. “The Rapid believe that better is never finished.” 

Supporting Ottawa Rapid FC: Growing local soccer 

CAA Members can save 20 per cent on home tickets to cheer on the Ottawa Rapid in their title challenge. Supporting the club on the pitch helps them continue growing the game in Ottawa.