Canadian Soccer Association

Canadian Soccer Association

CONCACAF
Founded	1912
FIFA affiliation	1913
CONCACAF affiliation	1961
President	Dr. Dominic Maestracci
Website	www.canadasoccer.com

The Canadian Soccer Association (Canada Soccer) (French: Association canadienne de soccer) is the governing body of soccer (association football) in Canada. It is a national organization that oversees the Canadian men's and women's national teams for international play, as well as the respective junior sides (U-20 and U-17 for men and women). Within Canada, it oversees national professional and amateur club championships.

History

See also: History of Soccer in Canada

The founding meeting of the Dominion of Canada Football Association took place on May 24, 1912. The organization joined FIFA in 1913. In 1928, the FA resigned from FIFA until 1946, following the example of British associations in a dispute over broken time payments to amateur players.

The Association has hosted three FIFA tournaments, the FIFA U-17 World Cup Canada 1987, the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Canada 2002, and the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007. The Association will next host the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in 2014 and the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015.

The Association's national teams have won nine confederation championships. The national men won the 1985 CONCACAF Men's Championship and the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup; the national women won the 1998 and 2010 CONCACAF women's championships. The men's youth team won the 1986 and 1996 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship while the women's youth team won the 2004 and 2008 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship along with the 2010 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship.

Leagues and cups

Main article: Canadian soccer pyramid

At the professional level, Canada's primary competition is the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. In 2008, the Impact de Montréal won the inaugural competition ahead of Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. By finishing first, the Impact won the Voyageurs Cup and qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League 2008-09 season.

Joining inaugural Nutrilite Canadian Championship participants Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, FC Edmonton entered the competition in 2011.

At the amateur level, Canada's club competitions fall under the National Championships. The senior champions are awarded The Challenge Trophy (men) and The Jubilee Trophy (women). Club championships are also organized at the U-18, U-16 and U-14 levels.

Associations affiliated with Canada Soccer

Senior level

1. Canada men's national soccer team
2. Canada women's national soccer team
3. Canada men's national beach soccer team
4. Canada men's national cerebral palsy soccer team
5. Canada men's national futsal team

Youth sides

1. Canada men's national under-23 (Olympic) soccer team
2. Canada men's national under-20 soccer team
3. Canada women's national under-20 soccer team
4. Canada men's national under-17 soccer team
5. Canada women's national under-17 soccer team

Leagues and organizations

1. Major League Soccer (MLS)
2. North American Soccer League (NASL)
3. Canadian Soccer League (CSL)
4. United Soccer Leagues (USL)

See also

	Association football portal
	Sport in Canada portal

• Soccer in Canada
• Canada men's national soccer team
• Canadian soccer pyramid

References

External links

• Official website
• Canadian Soccer Referees' Association
• Canada at FIFA site