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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
Divisions4
Number of teams47 clubs (men)
44 clubs (women)
Level on pyramid3[n 1]
Domestic cup(s)Canadian Championship (men)
League cup(s)Inter-Provincial Championship (women)
International cup(s)
TV partnersOneSoccer (select matches)
Websiteleague1canada.ca
Current: 2024 League1 Canada season

League1 Canada (L1C; French: Ligue1 Canada) is a national pro–am soccer organization in Canada. It consists of four regional leagues; League1 Alberta, League1 British Columbia, League1 Ontario, and Ligue1 Québec with each league operating men's and women's divisions. L1C is overseen by Canada Soccer Business, in partnership with participating provincial member federations.

League1 Canada is the third tier of the Canadian soccer league system which is the highest level of pro–am soccer in the country. It is below the Canadian Premier League which is the nation's top-tier professional league. Winners of each provincial league gain entry to the Canadian Championship the following season alongside Canadian Premier League teams and Canadian teams from Major League Soccer.

History

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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.[1] 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,[2] followed by a women's division in 2015.[3] After multiple years of consideration, League1 British Columbia began play in 2022 in both the male and female divisions.[4]

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.[5] L1O and L1BC adopted new logos that day, while the PLSQ transitioned to a common logo and rebranded to Ligue1 Québec in 2023.[5] Dino Rossi became the first league president in May 2022.[6]

From August 12 to 14, 2022, the inaugural Women's Inter-Provincial 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]

On December 7, 2023, League1 Canada announced it had reached an agreement with the Alberta Soccer Association to add League1 Alberta to its national alliance of Division III Pro-Am leagues.[15] Later that week, Dino Rossi resigned from his role as League1 Canada president.[16]

Provincial competitions

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Leagues

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Each member league determines their own season format and schedules. In 2024, League1 British Columbia and the League1 Alberta men's division determined their league champions via a playoff tournament, while all other leagues determined their champions via regular season standings.

League Men's division Women's division
First season Teams Current winner First season Teams Current winner
League1 Alberta 2024 7 Edmonton Scottish (2024) 2024 7 Calgary Blizzard SC (2024)
League1 British Columbia 2022 9 TSS Rovers (2024) 2022 9 Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite (2024)
League1 Ontario 2014 12[a] Scrosoppi FC (2024) 2015 10[b] NDC Ontario (2024)
Ligue1 Québec 2012 11 FC Laval (2024) 2018 12 CS Mont-Royal Outremont (2024)
  1. ^ Number of teams in the Men's Premier Division
  2. ^ Number of teams in the Women's Premier Division

League cups

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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 Vaughan Azzurri (2024) 2015 FC London (2024)
Quebec Coupe L1QC 2013 CS Saint-Laurent (2023) 2021 PEF Québec (2023[a])
  1. ^ The women's Coupe L1QC was not played in 2024

Other secondary competitions

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Cup First season Current winner[a]
British Columbia Juan de Fuca Plate 2022[b] Whitecaps FC Academy (2024)
  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.

Inter-provincial competitions

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Women

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The Women's Inter-Provincial Championship is a four-team knockout tournament organized by League1 Canada. It is contested annually by the four provincial league champions. The tournament is held over a single weekend at the end of the season and determines a national champion.[17] The winner of the 2023 tournament qualified for the 2024–25 CONCACAF W Champions Cup.[18]

Year Host Location(s) Winner Runner-up Third place Fourth place
2022  Quebec Laval, QC Quebec A.S. Blainville Quebec AS Laval Ontario Alliance United British Columbia Varsity FC
2023  British Columbia Langley, BC British Columbia Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Quebec PEF Québec British Columbia Unity FC Ontario Alliance United
2024  Ontario Hamilton, ON British Columbia Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Quebec CS Mont-Royal Outremont Ontario NDC Ontario Alberta Calgary Blizzard WSC

Men

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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.[19] 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

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Notes

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  1. ^ League1 Ontario has its own three-tier league system. However, Canada Soccer sanctions the entire League1 Ontario system as being in the third division of the Canadian soccer league system, despite the internal promotion and relegation structure.
  2. ^ Men's League1 Canada teams can qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup through the Canadian Championship.

References

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  1. ^ "Retour d'une ligue semi-pro" [Return of a semi-pro league]. Ici Radio-Canada Télé. August 30, 2011.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "League1 And OSA Announce 2015 Women's Division". League1 Ontario. January 28, 2015.
  4. ^ "BC Soccer officially launches League1 British Columbia". BC Soccer. October 5, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "League1 Canada officially launched today". Canadian Premier League. March 31, 2022.
  6. ^ Jacques, John (May 16, 2022). "Dino Rossi Named League1 Canada President". Northern Tribune. Retrieved May 16, 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 announces expansion to Alberta – League1Canada". Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  16. ^ "Statement from Dino Rossi". League1 Canada. December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  17. ^ Mahmoudi, Nelson (June 13, 2024). "Hamilton To Host 2024 League1 Canada Women's Inter-Provincial Championship". Northern Tribune. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  18. ^ "CONCACAF announces qualification criteria for Confederation's 2024/25 CONCACAF W Champions Cup". CONCACAF. April 24, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  19. ^ "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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