Canadian Soccer League

For the previous league with the same name, see Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992).
Not to be confused with Canadian Premier League.

Canadian Soccer League
Founded1998; 26 years ago (1998) (as CPSL)
2006; 18 years ago (2006) (as CSL)
CountryCanada
ConfederationNon-FIFA
Number of teams6
Current championsScarborough SC
(2023)
Most championshipsToronto Croatia (6 titles)[1]
Websitecanadiansoccerleague.ca
Current: 2024 Canadian Soccer League season

The Canadian Soccer League (CSL; French: Ligue canadienne de soccer — LCS) is a semi-professional league for Canadian soccer clubs primarily located in the province of Ontario, and claims the history of the Canadian National Soccer League (CNSL).[2][3] It is a non-FIFA league previously sanctioned by the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA), but now affiliated with the Soccer Federation of Canada (SFC).[4] As of 2024, it consists of six teams, all located in Ontario.[5] The season usually runs from May to October, with most games played on the weekend followed by a playoff format to determine the overall champion.

The league was formed in 1998 as the Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL) by an alliance forged by the Ontario Soccer Association (OSA) with the Canadian National Soccer League. The new league was meant to provide opportunities for the development of players, coaches, and referees.[6] The intention of the alliance was to form regional divisions across the nation under the CPSL banner with each divisional champion competing in a playoff format for the championship.[7]

  1. ^ "CSL past Champions" (PDF). December 13, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  2. ^ "Who We Are – Canadian Soccer League". Archived from the original on May 26, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  3. ^ Jose, Colin (2001). On-Side - 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario. Vaughan, Ontario: Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. p. 115.
  4. ^ "Canadian Soccer League joins Newly-Formed Soccer Federation". canadiansoccerleague.ca. February 13, 2010. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2010.
  5. ^ "Canadian Soccer League - Clubs". Canadian Soccer League. Archived from the original on July 11, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  6. ^ Avey, Brian (August 20, 1997). "New Professional Soccer League Launched Canadian Professional Soccer League (Ontario Division) Will Kick-off in 1998". Ontario Soccer Association. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :13 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).