31-998: The Canada Soccer National Development Centre and Canada Soccer EXCEL programs are full-time women's soccer development programs run by the Canadian Soccer Association in partnership with the various provincial associations to develop Canadian women's soccer players as part of the Canadian women's soccer pathway. There are three National Development Centres in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia and Regional EXCEL programs in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The four National Development Centres enter teams in Canada's tier 3 women's leagues: League1 Ontario , League1 British Columbia , Ligue1 Québec , and League1 Alberta . In November 2023, it
62-438: A 125-page report by McLaren Global Sport Solution, commissioned by Canada Soccer, concluded that Canada Soccer mishandled sexual harassment allegations in 2008 against then Canada U-20 women's soccer coach Bob Birarda, who was later found guilty of three counts of sexual assault . It said Canada Soccer was "described by many as being dysfunctional and inefficient" in 2007 and 2008, and concluded among other things that "harassment
93-616: A centralized, daily training program to develop their skills for players from U14 to U18 as part of Canada Soccer's Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) program. In 2022, it was announced that the NDC Ontario program would join and enter a team in the League1 Ontario women's division . Their debut match occurred on May 22, finishing in a 1–1 draw against the Woodbridge Strikers . After finishing in second place in
124-481: A longstanding practice of major Canadian sports franchises competing in American leagues. CSA does not have a sanctioned second-division men's soccer league; however, they do have a third-division sanctioned league: League1 Canada which was founded in 2022. League1 Canada is contested by clubs from four divisions; these are Ligue1 Québec , League1 Ontario , League1 British Columbia , and League1 Alberta for both
155-589: A new Canadian women's professional league which will start play in April 2025. Matheson and Project 8 Sports Inc. are leading this effort while Sinclair is involved in an advisory role. Six teams are expected to play the inaugural season of the Northern Super League . Halifax Tides FC, AFC Toronto, Calgary Wild FC, Montreal Roses, Ottawa Rapid and Vancouver Rise are expected to take the field in 2025. In July 2022, an independent review summarized in
186-577: Is a non-profit organization governed by a board of directors consisting of 14 directors: a President, Vice President, six elected directors, and six appointed or independent directors. Each of the six elected directors is elected from one of six geographic regions. The board must include at least three men and three women. Canada Soccer is administered by the General Secretariat, which is led by general secretary Peter Montopoli and deputy general secretary Earl Cochrane. The general secretary
217-630: Is awarded the Voyageurs Cup and a berth in the CONCACAF Champions Cup . Canada's best performance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup came in the 2014–15 competition, when Montreal Impact reached the finals. Toronto FC also reached the final in 2018 where they fell in penalties to C.D. Guadalajara . As of 2023, Canada does not have a professional women's league . The CSA previously had an affiliation with
248-587: Is the chief executive of Soccer Canada, and is appointed by the board of directors. Canada Soccer is a member of the worldwide soccer body FIFA and the North American soccer body CONCACAF and also has a relationship with the International Olympic Committee . Canada Soccer's objectives, as described in its by-laws, are to: The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at
279-430: The 1986 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament to qualify for the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship , and winning the 1996 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament to qualify for the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship . The women's youth team most significant achievements are winning the 2004 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship, winning the 2008 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship to qualify for the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup , and winning
310-506: The 2010 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship to qualify for the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup . Canada Soccer Association oversees and promotes the development of many youth national teams: Despite a long history of professional soccer in the country, Canada have struggled to build and sustain domestic soccer leagues. They have gone through many different iterations, finally landing on the Canadian Premier League that
341-540: The 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup . The Canadian team also won a gold medal in the 2020 Summer Olympics . The women's national soccer team has played at the FIFA Women's World Cup on eight occasions (missing only the inaugural 1991 edition), most recently in 2023 . The team reached international prominence at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup , losing in the third place match to the United States . Canada hosted
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#1732790491677372-623: The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup , and reached the quarterfinals. The team has played at the CONCACAF W Championship on ten occasions, most recently in 2022 . It hosted the tournament in 1994 and 1998 . Canada has played at the Summer Olympics on four occasions, most recently at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where they were crowned champions for the very first time. The men's youth team most significant achievements are winning
403-709: The Canadian Soccer Association in partnership with Soccer Québec set up the Programme EXCEL féminin in Québec. In 2022, it was announced that they would field a team in the Première ligue de soccer du Québec women's division beginning in the 2022 season. In May 2023, the CF Montréal Academy took over the technical component of the PEF program, as part of the launch of their women's academy program, with
434-612: The FIFA World Cup on two occasions, in 1986 , and 2022 . They have yet to make it through to the knockout stages. By qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup , Canada ended a 36-year drought. Canada with Mexico and the United States will jointly host the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the first 48-team event. Canada have played at the CONCACAF Gold Cup on eighteen occasions, most recently in 2021 . They co-hosted
465-654: The Vancouver Whitecaps FC to launch its regional EXCEL program which will be run as part of the Whitecaps FC Academy . In 2021, it was announced that the program would join the semi-professional League1 British Columbia as a founding franchise for the 2022 season. Their home games will take place at Ken Woods Field at the National Soccer Development Centre. They played their debut match on May 22, defeating
496-742: The Victoria Highlanders 5-1. During the 2022 regular season, the Whitecaps managed to finish second in the regular season standings and qualified for the Championship final, despite many of their university age players having to depart the team before the end of the season, leaving them with a roster composed of 14-17 year old players. In the Championship Final, the Whitecaps Girls defeated Varsity FC to win
527-749: The Canadian Soccer Association in 1971. Canada Soccer has hosted several global soccer tournaments, including the 1976 Olympic football tournament , the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup , and will co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup along with Mexico and United States. The association has also hosted the FIFA U-20 World Cup ( 2007 ), the FIFA U-16 World Championship ( 1987 ), and the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup ( 2002 , 2014 ). Canada Soccer
558-709: The Canadian Soccer Association, was founded in Winnipeg , Manitoba in July 1912. The organization joined FIFA on December 31, 1912. On June 21, 1926, the DCFA resigned from FIFA, only to rejoin on June 20, 1948. The governing body of the game retained that name until it was changed to The Football Association of Canada on June 6, 1952. The association later changed its name to the Canadian Soccer Football Association in 1958 and then at last to
589-962: The League1 BC title to advance to the Inter-Provincial Championship again, winning the overall League1 Canada title for the second consecutive year. The Canadian Soccer Association partnered with the Ontario Soccer Association , Own the Podium, Sport Canada, the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, and Bill Crothers Secondary School in Markham Ontario, to launch its Regional EXCEL (REX) program in January 2018. The REX Super Centres provide top youth female players with
620-664: The PEF teams to now wear the CF Montreal badge on their jerseys. In 2023, they won the league and cup double and qualified for the League1 Canada Inter-Provincial Cup. Canadian Soccer Association The Canadian Soccer Association ( French : Association canadienne de soccer ; branded as Canada Soccer ) is the governing body for soccer in Canada . Headquartered in Ottawa , Ontario ,
651-483: The U.S.-based National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) where some Canada women's national soccer team players were assigned to NWSL clubs. This affiliation ended after the 2021 season when the allocation system was abolished, although many Canadians continue to play in the American league. In 2022, former national team player Diana Matheson and then national team captain Christine Sinclair announced
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#1732790491677682-517: The federation is a full member of FIFA and governs Canadian soccer at the international, professional, and amateur levels, including: the men's and women's national teams, Canadian Premier League , youth organizations, beach soccer , futsal , Paralympic and deaf national teams. The Canadian Soccer Association also administers and operates the Canadian Championship . The Dominion of Canada Football Association , today known as
713-474: The inaugural women's League1 British Columbia title. In May 2023, the team participated in the 2023 Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup , winning the title. In the 2023 L1BC season, they won the league double, capturing the regular season title and the playoff championship, advancing to the Women's Inter-Provincial Championship , which they also won to become the overall League1 Canada champions. In 2024, they once again won
744-537: The men's and women's divisions. In 2022, Toronto FC II and Whitecaps FC 2 began play in MLS Next Pro , a USSF-sanctioned third-division league. At the professional level, Canada's domestic cup is the Canadian Championship . Founded in 2008, the Canadian Championship is an annual tournament contested by Canadian professional teams and the champions of each League1 Canada division. The winner
775-581: The regular season standings, NDC were crowned champions after defeating Alliance United FC in the playoff final in their debut season. In their second season, they won the Ron Smale Cup after finishing in first in regular-season standings, but fell in the playoff championship final to Alliance United in extra time. In 2024, they again won the league title, advancing to the League1 Canada Women's Inter-Provincial Championship . In 2021,
806-401: The senior men's level. Their most significant achievements are winning the 1985 CONCACAF Championship to qualify for the 1986 FIFA World Cup , winning the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup to qualify for the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup and qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup . A Canadian club team also won a gold medal in the 1904 Summer Olympics . The men's national soccer team have played at
837-457: The tournament in 2015 , where they finished 4th in their group, and did not advance to the knockout stage. The Canada women's national soccer team represents Canada in international women's soccer competitions at the senior women's level. Its most significant achievements are winning the 1998 CONCACAF Women's Championship to qualify for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup , and winning the 2010 CONCACAF Women's World Cup Qualifying to qualify for
868-498: The women's division of League1 Alberta . They finished tied for second place in their inaugural season, but finishing third due to goal difference. In September 2024, it was announced that Alberta Soccer would transfer the operation of the program to new women's professional side Calgary Wild FC of the Northern Super League . In 2015, the Canadian Soccer Association partnered with the BC Soccer Association and
899-553: Was announced that Canada Soccer and the Alberta Soccer Association would open a national development centre for U15 to U18 girls in Calgary in 2024. The program was developed in partnership with Calgary Foothills WFC , who developed the girls high performance program for it. The program would form part of the Alberta pathway to the Northern Super League which is to launch in 2025. The group will participate in
930-679: Was founded in 2019. The Canadian Premier League (CPL) is the top division of soccer in Canada. It is the only fully professional, and only fully national league in the system. Founded in 2019, the CPL is composed of eight teams and is sanctioned by the CSA. There are also three Canadian teams which play in Major League Soccer , the first-division league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation , reflecting
961-489: Was not a priority issue amongst the senior Canadian Soccer Association leadership team" at the time. In 2022, Canada Soccer's then newly appointed Secretary General Earl Cochrane said: "We are going to be leaders in this safe sport – through policy, practice, programs." League1 Canada Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include