League1 Canada
FoundedMarch 31, 2022 (2022-03-31)
First season2022
CountryCanada
ConfederationCONCACAF
Divisions4
Number of teams48 clubs (men)
45 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; 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 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.

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.[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 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]

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

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.

LeagueMen's divisionWomen's division
First seasonTeamsCurrent winnerFirst seasonTeamsCurrent winner
League1 Alberta2024720247
League1 British Columbia20227Whitecaps FC Academy (2023)20227Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite (2023)
League1 Ontario201422Simcoe County Rovers (2023)201519Alliance United FC (2023)
Ligue1 Québec201212CS Saint-Laurent (2023)201812PEF Québec (2023)

League cups

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

CupMen's divisionWomen's division
First seasonCurrent winnerFirst seasonCurrent winner
Ontario L1 Cup2014[lower-alpha 1]Vaughan Azzurri (2018)2015[lower-alpha 1]Woodbridge Strikers (2018)
Quebec Coupe L1QC2013CS Saint-Laurent (2023)2021PEF Québec (2023)
  1. 1 2 The L1 Cup is currently on hiatus and will return in the 2024 League1 Ontario season.

Other secondary competitions

CupFirst seasonCurrent winner[lower-alpha 1]
British Columbia Juan de Fuca Plate2022[lower-alpha 2]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
YearHostLocation(s)WinnerRunner-upTop scorerGoals
2022  Quebec Laval, QC Quebec A.S. Blainville Quebec AS Laval 11 players tied1
2023  British Columbia Langley, BC British Columbia Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Quebec PEF Québec Canada Kierra Blundell
Canada Esther Brossard		3

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.[17] 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.

Titles

The table below shows every officially recognized title won by League1 Canada clubs (including official tournaments/competitions outside of the League1 Canada system).

Titles won by clubs in League1 Canada leagues
Club Combined Men Women
League Cup Regular season[lower-alpha 1] Total League Cup Regular season Total League Cup Regular season Total
Quebec A.S. Blainville 76–1343–733–6
Ontario Vaughan Azzurri 34–733–601–1
Quebec C.S.M.R.O 42–642–600–0
British Columbia Whitecaps FC 32[lower-alpha 2]16100122[lower-alpha 2]15
Ontario FC London 4[lower-alpha 3]1–51[lower-alpha 3]0–131–4
Ontario Woodbridge Strikers 13–402–211–2
Ontario Blue Devils FC 21–321–300–0
Ontario Pickering FC 20–200–020–2
Quebec FC Laval 11–211–100–0
Ontario Toronto FC 11–211–200–0
Quebec PEF Québec 11–200–011–1
Quebec CS Saint-Laurent 11–211–200–0
British Columbia Nautsa'mawt FC 002200110011
Quebec AS Laval 10–100–010–1
Quebec CS Longueuil 10–110–100–0
Quebec Dynamo de Quebec 10–100–010–1
Quebec FC St-Léonard 10–110–100–0
Ontario Alliance United FC 10–100–010–1
Ontario NDC Ontario 10–100–010–1
British Columbia TSS FC Rovers 100110010000
Ontario Guelph United F.C. 10–110–100–0
Alberta Calgary Foothills FC 1[lower-alpha 3]0–11[lower-alpha 3]0–100–0
Ontario Simcoe County Rovers 10–110–100–0
Ontario Master's FA 10–110–100–0
Quebec FC Gatineau 01–101–100–0
Quebec Lakeshore SC 01–101–100–0
Quebec FC Lanaudière 01–101–100–0
Ontario North Mississauga SC 01–100–001–1
British Columbia Victoria Highlanders FC 001100110000
  1. ↑ League1 BC is the only League1 Canada league to formally recognize regular season winners with a trophy.
  2. 1 2 Includes the FIFA Youth Cup.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Includes the Premier Development League.

See also

References

  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. 1 2 "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. ↑ "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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