The Canadian Soccer League (CSL) is Canada's top professional soccer league, featuring teams based in Ontario and Quebec. It replaced the Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL), and was officially re-branded on May 17, 2006. The CSL is recognized as Canada's national league by FIFA.[1]
The CSL's first season was in 2006, with 12 active franchises, with the most notable change being the emergence of an international division as a complement to the more traditional national division
The forerunner of the CSL, The CPSL itself played its first season in 1998 by amalgamating four teams from the Canadian National Soccer League namely St. Catharines Wolves, North York Astros, London City, and Toronto Croatia with four (4) expansion franchises (Mississauga, York Region Shooters, Glen Shields and Toronto Olympians).
The (CSL) has a history going back to 1926 as the National Soccer League (NSL).
In 2006, the change to the CSL was more than merely a cosmetic alteration. An international division was added, a new set of rules, regulations and a new constitution were established, the schedule format was changed, and the relationship with the OSA and QSF was upgraded.
In early 2008, the CSL and the OSA established a "Memorandum of Understanding" which provided the CSL with an increased level of autonomy and independence from the governing body. This is expected to facilitate the league's expansion efforts.
The CSL season runs from May through to October with seven teams in the National Division and four teams in the International Division (recognizing the unique multiculturalism of Toronto's demographics) which debuted in 2006. The climax of the season is the CSL Championship Final, which takes place in October after an 8-team playoffs competition.
The CSL is the top level soccer league within Canada, however three Canadian clubs play in higher leagues based in the United States – Toronto FC in Major League Soccer, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps in the USL First Division.
The league is currently managed by former Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) president, Cary Kaplan (CSL Commissioner), and veteran soccer executive Stan Adamson (Executive Director).
2007 saw the debut of the Trois-Rivières Attak, replacing the existing Laval Dynamites franchise. The team is the junior/reserve side for the Montreal Impact USL First Division team. In 2008, Toronto FC of Major League Soccer, and owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, entered their Academy Team (TFC Academy) into the CSL. As a result, the CSL is now affiliated with two of Canada's top three professional soccer franchises: Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact.
Both the African Icons and FC Quebec have deferred beginning play in the league until 2009. Furthermore, the CSL has expressed an interest to aggressively seek a division in Western Canada as soon as possible.
| Team | Founded | Ground |
|---|---|---|
| London City | 1973 | Cove Road Stadium |
| North York Astros | 1996 | Esther Shiner Stadium |
| St. Catharines Wolves | 1977 | Club Roma |
| Trois-Rivières Attak | 2006 | Stade de l'UQTR |
| Windsor Border Stars | 2004 | Windsor Stadium |
| Brampton Lions | 2002 | Victoria Park Stadium |
| TFC Academy | 2008 | Lamport Stadium |
| FC Quebec (expansion) | 2009 | TBA |
| Team | Founded | Ground |
|---|---|---|
| Italia Shooters | 1998 | Joan Of Ark, Maple |
| Portugal FC | 2001 | Lamport Stadium |
| Serbian White Eagles | 2006 | Centennial Park Stadium |
| Toronto Croatia | 1956 | Hershey Centre |
| African Icons (expansion) | 2009 | TBA |
| Season | Champions | Score | Runners-up | Regular Season Champions | Regular Season Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | St. Catharines Wolves | 2-2 (pk 4-2) | Toronto Olympians | Toronto Olympians | St. Catharines Wolves |
| 1999 | Toronto Olympians | 2-0 | Toronto Croatia | Toronto Olympians | Toronto Croatia |
| 2000 | Toronto Croatia | 2-1 | Toronto Olympians | Toronto Olympians | St. Catharines Wolves |
| 2001 | St. Catharines Wolves | 1-0 | Toronto Supra | Ottawa Wizards | Toronto Olympians |
| 2002 | Ottawa Wizards | 2-0 | North York Astros | Ottawa Wizards | Montreal Dynamites |
| 2003 | Brampton Hitmen | 1-0 | Vaughan Sun Devils | Ottawa Wizards | Hamilton Thunder |
| 2004 | Toronto Croatia | 4-0 | Vaughan Shooters | Toronto Supra | Metro Lions |
| 2005 | Oakville Blue Devils | 2-1 | Vaughan Shooters | Vaughan Shooters | Toronto Croatia |
| 2006 | Italia Shooters | 1-0 | Serbian White Eagles | Serbian White Eagles | Toronto Croatia |
| 2007 | Toronto Croatia | 4-1, 0-0* | Serbian White Eagles | Serbian White Eagles | St. Catharines Wolves |