CALGARY — Cavalry FC will be Calgary’s team in the Canadian Premier League next year.
Cavalry will play out of the Spruce Meadows equestrian complex known for its annual international show jumping competitions.
The club’s name and crest honours armed services and first responders who serve Calgary and Canada, Spruce Meadows Sports and Entertainment said Thursday in a release.
Renovations to existing facilities will generate a soccer stadium of 5,000 seats with a grass pitch.
“Spruce Meadows truly is a story of ‘by Canadians for Canadians’ that has risen from virtually nothing to some degree of prominence and repute on the world stage over the last four decades,” Spruce Meadows president and chief executive officer Linda Southern-Heathcott said in the statement.
“However, it is about so much more. It is about community, family, youth, and about providing pathways for Canadian athletes. Our vision for the sport of soccer and the CPL ticks all of those boxes.”
Former pro player Tommy Wheeldon Jr., will be Cavalry’s coach and general manager.
The CPL plans to have 10 teams, with eight participating in the league’s debut in 2019.
A Toronto-area club called York 9, Hamilton, Winnipeg, Halifax, Calgary and a Port City team in B.C., have already been announced. Edmonton and Ottawa are expected to join the league.