(Ottawa) After a lot of rumour and speculation and appropriately on Commonwealth Day, the Ottawa Aces officially announce they will enter League 1 in the RFL for 2021 playing at TD Place Stadium at historic Lansdowne Park. The club which started life in 2013 as Hemel Stags located in Hemel-Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England was purchased by a Canadian consortium in 2018 and completed their move to Ottawa officially earlier this month. The move makes Ottawa the second Canadian city to boast a club in England’s storied RFL professional leagues. Following on from the success of the Toronto Wolfpack, Ottawa will look to begin the rise up the ranks of RFL and into the Super League.

The RFL which has been operating since 1895, is one of the most popular sports leagues in the UK. It has 3 divisions, League 1, Championship and Super League. The League has 38 teams spread over the 3 divisions with the majority of teams from England, and also including 2 teams from Wales, 2 from France, and now 2 in Canada. The exciting promotion/relegation system exists between the leagues meaning a team can rise up the ranks and also fall depending on their performance on the field of play. The Aces will begin play in League 1.

Ottawa Aces Chairman Eric Perez who also founded the Wolfpack and led the club to the 2017 League 1 title had this to say on the club’s relocation to Ottawa. “It’s a massive day for sports in the National Capital Region, in Ontario and Quebec, and in Canada as a whole. By approving our relocation to Ottawa the RFL has shown a firm commitment to advancing Rugby League in Canada. We hope to build a sustainable legacy of winning, and some shiny silverware to TD Place Stadium.”

You can become a Founding Member of the club HERE.

Image courtesy of CTV News.