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League1 Canada

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League1 Canada
FoundedMarch 31, 2022; 2 years ago (2022-03-31)
First season2022
CountryCanada
ConfederationCONCACAF
Divisions3
Number of teams41 clubs (men)
39 clubs (women)
Level on pyramid3
Domestic cup(s)Canadian Championship
Interprovincial Championship
TV partnersOneSoccer (select matches)
Websiteleague1canada.ca
Current: 2023 League1 Canada season

League1 Canada (L1C; Template:Lang-fr) is the third tier of the Canadian soccer league system. It is overseen by Canada Soccer Business, in partnership with participating provincial member federations. It is below the Canadian Premier League which is the top-tier national league in the country.

League1 Canada is contested by clubs from three regional leagues; League1 Ontario, League1 British Columbia, and Ligue1 Québec for both the men's and women's divisions. Each of these leagues represents the highest level of soccer sanctioned by their respective provinces. Dino Rossi has served as league president since May 2022.[1]

History

In 2011, the Première ligue de soccer du Québec was established to begin play in 2012, marking the return of semi-professional soccer in the province of Quebec.[2] In 2013, League1 Ontario was founded as a semi-professional league by the Ontario Soccer Association to begin play in 2014 with a men's division,[3] followed by a women's division in 2015.[4] After multiple years of consideration, League1 British Columbia began play in 2022 in both the male and female divisions.[5]

On March 31, 2022, League1 Canada was announced as an alliance of the three existing division three pro-am leagues, aligning the national soccer pathway.[6] L1O and L1BC adopted new logos that day, while the PLSQ transitioned to a common logo and rebranded to Ligue1 Québec in 2023.[6]

From August 12 to 14, 2022, the inaugural Women's Interprovincial Championship was held in Laval, Quebec. The competition was a four-team knockout tournament featuring the champions of each of the three divisions, as well as an additional team from the PLSQ (allocated as host).[7][8] A.S. Blainville won the inaugural title.[9][10] The 2023 tournament was held in British Columbia.[11][12]

In March 2023, League1 Alberta was announced with a five-team exhibition series to be played that summer.[13] The league plans to officially launch for the 2024 season with a minimum of six teams. In June 2023, League1 Prairies was announced with plans for the league to operate between Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The league plans to launch for the 2025 season. [14]

Provincial competitions

Leagues

The league champion for League1 Ontario and League1 British Columbia is determined through a playoffs tournament, while the league champion for Ligue1 Québec is determined through the season standings.

League Men's division Women's division
First season Teams Current winner First season Teams Current winner
League1 Alberta 2024 5 2024 5
League1 British Columbia 2022 8 Whitecaps FC Academy (2023) 2022 8 Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite (2023)
League1 Ontario 2014 21 Simcoe County Rovers (2023) 2015 19 Alliance United FC (2023)
Ligue1 Québec 2012 12 CS Saint-Laurent (2023) 2018 12 PEF Québec (2023)

League cups

Not to be confused with a league's playoff phase.

Cup Men's division Women's division
First season Current winner First season Current winner
Ontario L1 Cup 2014[a] Vaughan Azzurri (2018) 2015[a] Woodbridge Strikers (2018)
Quebec Coupe L1QC 2013 AS Blainville (2022) 2021 PEF Québec (2023)
  1. ^ a b The L1 Cup is currently on hiatus and will return in the 2024 League1 Ontario season.

Other secondary competitions

Cup First season Current winner
Men Women Combined trophy[a]
British Columbia Juan de Fuca Plate 2012[b] 2022 Whitecaps FC Academy (2023)
  1. ^ Trophy is awarded to the club with the most combined points acquired in the regular season by their men's and women's teams.
  2. ^ Trophy was awarded from 2012–2014 and 2017–2019 to men's Premier Development League teams in British Columbia. The trophy only became affiliated with League1 BC in 2022.

Interprovincial competitions

Women

The Women's Inter-Provincial Championship is a four-team knockout tournament organized by League1 Canada. It is contested annually by the three provincial league champions with a fourth team qualifying from the host province's league. The tournament is held at the end of the season and determines a national champion.

Results
Year Host Winner Runner-up
2022 Laval, Quebec Quebec A.S. Blainville Quebec AS Laval
2023 Langley, British Columbia British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite Quebec PEF Québec

Men

The winners of the men's provincial leagues qualify for the following year's Canadian Championship, organized by the Canadian Soccer Association. There are plans for a Men's Inter-Provincial Championship to begin in 2024.[15] From 2014 to 2016, prior to the formation of League1 Canada, the winners of League1 Ontario and the Première ligue de soccer du Québec (now Ligue1 Québec) participated in a similar competition known as the Inter-Provincial Cup.

See also

References

  1. ^ Jacques, John (May 16, 2022). "Dino Rossi Named League1 Canada President". Northern Tribune. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  2. ^ "Retour d'une ligue semi-pro" [Return of a semi-pro league]. Ici Radio-Canada Télé. August 30, 2011.
  3. ^ "OSA to pilot semi-pro League1 Ontario in 2014–2015". Ontario Soccer Association. November 15, 2013. Archived from the original on July 6, 2014. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  4. ^ "League1 And OSA Announce 2015 Women's Division". League1 Ontario. January 28, 2015.
  5. ^ "BC Soccer officially launches League1 British Columbia". BC Soccer. October 5, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "League1 Canada officially launched today". Canadian Premier League. March 31, 2022.
  7. ^ "PLSQ 2022 : Une Saison Chargée" [PLSQ 2022: A Busy Season]. Première ligue de soccer du Québec (in French). April 4, 2022.
  8. ^ "BC Soccer announces League1 BC participation at the Women's Interprovincial Championship". bcsoccer.net. April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  9. ^ "L'AS Blainville couronnée championenne de la première édition du championnat interprovincial" [AS Blainville crowned champions of the first edition of the interprovincial championship]. Première ligue de soccer du Québec (in French). August 15, 2022.
  10. ^ Jacques, John (August 15, 2022). "AS Blainville Named First-Ever League1 Canada Inter-Provincial Champions". Northern Tribune.
  11. ^ "AS Blainville crowned winners of the inaugural Inter-Provincial Championship". League1 Canada. August 15, 2022.
  12. ^ Dubois, Julien (August 15, 2022). "La Ligue 1 Canada, un pas vers le professionalisme au féminin" [League1 Canada, a step towards female professionalism]. Just eSoccer (in French).
  13. ^ Parkes, David (March 10, 2023). "Official: League1 Alberta Exhibition Series Confirmed". Northern Tribune.
  14. ^ "League1 Canada to explore opportunity to launch League1 Prairies in 2025". June 20, 2023.
  15. ^ "League1 Canada's Women's Inter-Provincial Championship Heads to British Columbia in August". Canadian Premier League. July 21, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
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