New Canadian soccer merger brings more development opportunities for men and women
Posted March 31, 2022 5:14 pm.
A new partnership is coming to Canadian soccer.
Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) is partnering with BC Soccer, Soccer Quebec and Ontario Soccer to form League 1 Canada.
The partnership will merge the existing provincial Division III Pro-Am men’s and women’s – League 1 BC, League 1 Ontario and Première Ligue de soccer du Québec (PLSQ) – into two (one men’s, one women’s) Canada-wide developmental leagues.
The idea, first envisioned by former CPL Commissioner David Clanachan, is designed to allow players more opportunities to grow and develop before entering professional leagues like the Canadian Premier League through more national organization plans and potential sponsorships.
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“League 1 Ontario has enjoyed very positive relationships with our colleagues at PLSQ for many years and that spirit of cooperation has carried over to our new friends at League1 BC over the past several months, but the League1 Canada alliance takes those existing relationships to a completely different level,” said L1O Executive Chairman Dino Rossi in a statement. “I am confident that, by working together and establishing a close alignment of interests, we will grow the sport at the Division III Pro-Am level to all new heights.”
Canadian Soccer Business in partnership with BC Soccer, Soccer Québec and Ontario Soccer announced today the formation of League1 Canada, an alliance of Canada’s existing provincial Division III Pro-Am men’s and women’s soccer leagues. #L1CA https://t.co/BFBVjnK1yG
— League1 Canada (@League1Canada) March 31, 2022
“The collaboration between League1 BC, League1 Ontario and PLSQ via League 1 Canada enhances our ability to create opportunities for Canadian players, coaches and officials and consolidates our competition structure. It demonstrates our commitment to sustaining the momentum of the sport in Canada. We are entering a new era in our province and our country!”, said Gabriel Assis, BC Soccer Director of Operations in a statement.
President of Soccer Québec Pierre Marchand says the announcement “solidifies our common desire to join forces and work more closely together to provide our teams and players with a more professional environment coupled with new sporting challenges.”
“This alliance will be very profitable as the leagues will be able to benefit from more resources and expertise, which will allow them to grow further and take a more important place in the landscape of Canadian soccer, which is in full swing.”
Currently out of the three leagues, League 1 BC is the only one to not participate in Canada’s top soccer tournament – the Canadian Championship – a tournament that features all three MLS clubs and all eight CPL clubs.
