Halifax will welcome a Canadian Premier League team in 2019, as plans have been announced for HFX Wanderers.
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.
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.
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.
“Halifax is ready for professional soccer,” said Mike Savage,Mayor, Halifax Regional Municipality. “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.”
“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,” said Canadian Premier League Commissioner David Clanachan. “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”
“HFX Wanderers is the realization of a dream to reignite the passion of our community on a historic ground, through the power of sport,” said Sports & Entertainment President Derek Martin. “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”
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