Canadian Championship
| |
Founded | 2008 |
---|---|
Region | Canada (CONCACAF) |
Number of teams | 6 |
Current champions | Toronto FC (7th title) |
Most successful club(s) | Toronto FC (7 titles) |
Television broadcasters |
The Sports Network Réseau des sports |
Website | canadasoccer.com |
|
The Canadian Championship (French: Championnat canadien) is an annual soccer tournament contested by premier Canadian professional teams. The winner is awarded the Voyageurs Cup and Canada's berth in the CONCACAF Champions League.[1] It is currently contested by MLS sides Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Montreal Impact, USL side Ottawa Fury FC, and the champions of League1 Ontario and the Première Ligue de soccer du Québec. The tournament is organized by the Canadian Soccer Association.[2]
History
The Canadian Championship is a club soccer competition organized by the Canadian Soccer Association. The championship determines Canada's entry in the annual CONCACAF Champions League. Fully professional Canadian soccer teams play in United States-based leagues. Prior to the creation of the official competition in 2008, there was no domestic competition to determine the best Canadian professional team (as Canada Soccer's Challenge Trophy only crowned the best amateur team). An unofficial Canadian Champion determined in the same manner as 2008–2010, a home-and-away series with the games taken from USL First Division (USL-1) regular season league games, was awarded by the Canadian national teams' supporters group, The Voyageurs. This unofficial Canadian Championship became less legitimate when Toronto was awarded a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise to start play in 2007 in the USSF Division 1 MLS league above the USSF Division 2 USL-1 league. Toronto's USL-1 team self relegated, while the other two Canadian professional soccer teams did not play meaningful games against the new MLS team in 2007.[3]
For the 2008–2009 season, CONCACAF changed their eight team FIFA Club World Cup qualification tournament from a two leg aggregate goals knockout elimination format, named the CONCACAF Champions Cup, to a format mirroring the UEFA Champions League with a play-in round, a group stage, and lastly a two-leg aggregate score knockout format for the final rounds. The format change for the 2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League provided the opportunity to expand the number of qualifying teams from different countries, and Canada was awarded a single entry in the play-in round preceding the group stage. The year 2008 was the first time a Canadian entry had been awarded by CONCACAF since 1992, and the first time a Canadian team participated since 1976.[4] To award the new Canadian entry, the CSA created a new competition consisting of a home-and-away round-robin series between the three fully professional Canadian teams: Montreal Impact, Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps.[5] As the Canadian champions, Montreal qualified for CONCACAF Champions League 2008–09.[4][6][7]
The 2008 edition was contested between May 2008 and July 2008 and won by the Montreal Impact. The 2009 edition's format and participants were the same, contested by the three clubs in May and June 2009. It was closely contended by Toronto and Vancouver and won by the former via goal differential in the tournament's final game against the defending champions, Montreal, giving the Toronto franchise its first ever trophy and a spot in the qualifying round of the CONCACAF Champions League 2009–10.[8] Toronto repeated as champions in the 2010 competition, qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions League 2010–11. Toronto won it for the fourth consecutive season in the 2012 competition.
In 2011 with the start of a fourth fully professional Canadian soccer team, FC Edmonton, the competition was changed from the home-and-away round robin series to a double-leg aggregate score knockout cup format with the two MLS teams seeded first and second, and NASL teams seeded third and fourth based on league standings of the previous year and the USSF tiering of Division 1 and Division 2.[9] This format mitigated competitive concerns regarding already eliminated teams and the number of additional (extra to their regular league) games each team would be required to play during a season.
On June 6, 2016 Canadian Soccer Association general secretary Peter Montopoli told TSN that plans were well under way to expand the tournament to include an access point for any team in Canada. He said that he expected the expansion to take place for 2017. His statement seemed to confirm other reports saying similar.[10] On March 9, 2017 Canada Soccer Association announced that from the 2018 edition the winners of the League1 Ontario and Première Ligue de soccer du Québec would compete.[11]
In 2019, it is expected that Canadian Premier League teams will begin participating in the tournament.[12]
Trophy
The winners of the Canadian Championship are awarded the Voyageurs Cup,[13] a trophy previously awarded to the Canadian USL First Division side with the best regular season record against other Canadian USL-1 teams. From 1993 to 2007, there was no domestic competition open to top-tier Canadian professional clubs. The Voyageurs developed a method of tracking league results between Canadian clubs to determine a professional Canadian champion. From 2002 to 2006, USL First Division was the highest level in which Canadian men's soccer teams competed.
The Voyageurs, a supporters' group, donated the cup to the Canadian Soccer Association to award to the winners of the Canadian Championship. The Voyageurs Cup was supervised by the Voyageurs from 2002–2007. The trophy is still awarded by a Voyageurs member to the current winning club.[14][15][16]
Format
Prior to 2010, the tournament consisted of the top three professional teams in Canada in a home-and-away series with the top team winning entry into the qualifying stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. These teams were the only Canadian teams in the two top US-based professional soccer leagues, which for 2010 were Major League Soccer and the temporary USSF Division 2 Professional League. In 2011, the North American Soccer League received sanctioning as the USSF's new second-division league.
When FC Edmonton joined the NASL in 2011, the tournament was expanded to include the four highest-level professional clubs in the country. The tournament now consists of two two-legged semifinals and a two-legged final. In the first semifinal of 2011, Toronto, as reigning champions, was assigned the first-place seed and played Edmonton, which was assigned the fourth seed as newcomers to the tournament. The two remaining teams, Montreal and Vancouver, faced off in the other semifinal. This was to be followed by a one-game final to be hosted by the highest remaining seed;[17] but the Canadian Soccer Association decided to go with a two-legged final instead. The format was repeated in subsequent years with the previous year's league placement being used to seed the teams.[18]
Starting with the 2014 competition, due to the introduction of the Ottawa Fury FC to the NASL, the two Canadian NASL teams play in a play-off quarter final to see which team makes it to the semi-finals, in which the MLS teams will be introduced.[19]
Due to scheduling conflicts with the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup,[20] the 2015 edition was held during April, May, and August[21] but did not provide a competitor for the 2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League; instead the best-placed Canadian Major League Soccer team in the 2014 regular season was the country's representative.[20] The Whitecaps qualified for the championship on October 19, 2014.[22] The winner of the 2015 Canadian Championship qualified for the 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League instead and starting in 2016, the competition will be held in June and July.[20]
Since 2017 competition regulations state that each team must field a minimum of three Canadian starters for each match.[23]
In 2018, following the suspension of operations at FC Edmonton, the format of the Championship was amended once more to allow for the admission of two clubs from the Division 3 provincial leagues: League1 Ontario and Première Ligue de soccer du Québec.[24] The two provincial champions meet in a first qualifying round, with the winner progressing to meet the sole remaining Canadian USL team (not including Toronto FC II, which is a department of the MLS side Toronto FC), Ottawa Fury FC in a second qualifying round. The winner of this match joins the three Canadian MLS teams in the semi-finals. AS Blainville and Oakville Blue Devils qualified to represent the Quebec and Ontario leagues respectively in 2018.[25][26]
Participants
Current Canadian Championship
Team | City | Professional league | Year joined |
---|---|---|---|
Montreal Impact | Montreal, Quebec | Major League Soccer | 2012 |
Ottawa Fury FC | Ottawa, Ontario | United Soccer League[lower-alpha 1] | 2014 |
Toronto FC | Toronto, Ontario | Major League Soccer | 2008 |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Vancouver, British Columbia | Major League Soccer | 2011 |
Oakville Blue Devils | Oakville, Ontario | League 1 Ontario | 2018 |
AS Blainville | Blainville, Quebec | Première Ligue de soccer du Québec | 2018 |
Former Canadian Championship clubs
Team | City | Professional league | Years |
---|---|---|---|
FC Edmonton | Edmonton, Alberta | North American Soccer League | 2011–2017[lower-alpha 2] |
Montreal Impact | Montreal, Quebec | North American Soccer League | 2008–2011 |
Vancouver Whitecaps | Vancouver, British Columbia | USL First Division, USSF Division 2 | 2008–2010 |
- ↑ The USL will be rebranded as the USL Championship for the 2019 season and beyond.
- ↑ FC Edmonton suspended professional operations in 2017, but continued to operate its academy. The club will resume professional operations in 2019 as a founding member of the Canadian Premier League.
Timeline
Results
By year
Year | Winner | Runner-up | Teams | Format |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | Montreal Impact | Toronto FC | 3 | League format: Home and Away Round robin |
2009 | Toronto FC | Vancouver Whitecaps | ||
2010 | Toronto FC | Vancouver Whitecaps | ||
2011 | Toronto FC | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 4 | Cup format: Two-legged knock-out |
2012 | Toronto FC | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | ||
2013 | Montreal Impact | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | ||
2014 | Montreal Impact | Toronto FC | 5 | |
2015 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Montreal Impact | ||
2016 | Toronto FC | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | ||
2017 | Toronto FC | Montreal Impact | ||
2018 | Toronto FC | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 6 |
By club
Rank | Club | Participations | Winner | Runner-up | Seasons Won |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Toronto FC | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018 |
2 | Montreal Impact | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2008, 2013, 2014 |
3 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 11 | 1 | 7 | 2015 |
4 | FC Edmonton | 7 | 0 | 0 | |
5 | Ottawa Fury FC | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
6 | A.S. Blainville | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
6 | Oakville Blue Devils | 1 | 0 | 0 |
All-time table
- As of August 15, 2018
Rank | Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Toronto FC | 38 | 20 | 11 | 7 | 58 | 34 | +24 | 71 |
2 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 38 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 50 | 42 | +8 | 57 |
3 | Montreal Impact | 36 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 39 | 50 | −11 | 37 |
4 | Ottawa Fury FC | 16 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 25 | −9 | 22 |
5 | FC Edmonton | 18 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 22 | 32 | −10 | 17 |
6 | A.S. Blainville | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
7 | Oakville Blue Devils | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0 |
- Statistics for Vancouver Whitecaps FC include the original Vancouver Whitecaps who took part in the tournament in the first three editions from 2008 through 2010. This team ceased operations in 2011 and was replaced by a new MLS franchise of the same name and ownership.
- In 2012 the Montreal Impact of MLS replaced the former Montreal Impact of the NASL in the Canadian Championship. Statistics include data from both iterations of the Impact.
George Gross Memorial Trophy
The George Gross Memorial Trophy was created by the Canadian Soccer Association in 2008 to recognize each tournament's most valuable player.[27] The Trophy was named after the late George Gross, a former soccer administrator and a respected journalist.
Year | Player | Position | Nationality | Team |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | Matt Jordan | Goalkeeper | Montreal Impact | |
2009 | Dwayne De Rosario | Midfielder | Toronto FC | |
2010 | Dwayne De Rosario | Midfielder | Toronto FC | |
2011 | Joao Plata | Forward | Toronto FC | |
2012 | Ryan Johnson | Forward | Toronto FC | |
2013 | Justin Mapp | Midfielder | Montreal Impact | |
2014 | Justin Mapp | Midfielder | Montreal Impact | |
2015 | Russell Teibert | Midfielder | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | |
2016 | Benoît Cheyrou | Midfielder | Toronto FC | |
2017 | Sebastian Giovinco | Forward | Toronto FC | |
2018 | Jonathan Osorio | Midfielder | Toronto FC |
Top Scorer of the Canadian Championship
The Top Scorer of the Canadian Championship is the player who scores the most goals during the competition. In case two or more players are tied, the first tiebreaker is most assists and the second tiebreaker is fewest minutes played.[28]
Year | Player | Nationality | Team | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | Roberto Brown | Montreal Impact | 2 goals (0 assists, 157 minutes) | |
2009 | Dwayne De Rosario | Toronto FC | 3 goals scored | |
2010 | Dwayne De Rosario | Toronto FC | 1 goal (1 assist) | |
2011 | Maicon Santos | Toronto FC | 3 goals scored | |
2012 | Sebastien Le Toux | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2 goals (0 assists, 168 minutes) | |
2013 | Camilo Sanvezzo | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 3 goals scored | |
2014 | Jack McInerney | Montreal Impact | 3 goals scored | |
2015 | Tomi Ameobi | FC Edmonton | 4 goals | |
2016 | Jordan Hamilton | Toronto FC | 2 goals (1 assist) | |
2017 | Sebastian Giovinco | Toronto FC | 3 goals scored | |
2018 | Jonathan Osorio | Toronto FC | 3 goals (1 assist) |
Competition records
Appearances
- As of November 4, 2017
Pos | Name | Club | Nationality | Appearances |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Russell Teibert | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 19 | |
2 | Patrice Bernier | Montreal Impact | 16 | |
3 | Jay Nolly | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 15 | |
4 | Hassoun Camara | Montreal Impact | 14 | |
4 | Jonathan Osorio | Toronto FC | 14 | |
5 | Gershon Koffie | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 13 | |
6 | Julian De Guzman | Toronto FC, Ottawa Fury FC | 12 | |
Dwayne De Rosario | Toronto FC | |||
Leonardo Di Lorenzo | Montreal Impact | |||
Daryl Fordyce | FC Edmonton | |||
Doneil Henry | Toronto FC | |||
Jordan Harvey | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | |||
Andrés Romero | Montreal Impact | |||
Top goalscorers
- As of August 15, 2018
Pos | Name | Club | Nationality | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sebastian Giovinco | Toronto FC | 6 | |
2 | Tomi Ameobi | FC Edmonton | 5 | |
Jozy Altidore | Toronto FC | |||
Jonathan Osorio | Toronto FC | |||
5 | Camilo | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 4 | |
Dwayne De Rosario | Toronto FC | |||
Daryl Fordyce | FC Edmonton | |||
Jack McInerney | Montreal Impact | |||
Pedro Morales | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | |||
10 | Chad Barrett | Toronto FC | 3 | |
Eric Hassli | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | |||
Doneil Henry | Toronto FC | |||
Nicolás Mezquida | Vancouver Whitecaps | |||
Maicon Santos | Toronto FC | |||
Kei Kamara | Vancouver Whitecaps | |||
Ansu Toure | Vancouver Whitecaps | |||
Jordan Hamilton | Toronto FC |
Bolded players are still active players with a Canadian team.
Top goalscorers by season
Season | Player | Club | Nationality | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | Roberto Brown | Montreal Impact | 2 | |
Rohan Ricketts | Toronto FC | |||
Eduardo Sebrango | Vancouver Whitecaps | |||
2009 | Dwayne De Rosario | Toronto FC | 3 | |
2010 | Chad Barrett | Toronto FC | 1 | |
Philippe Billy | Montreal Impact | |||
Peter Byers | Montreal Impact | |||
Dwayne De Rosario | Toronto FC | |||
Marcus Haber | Vancouver Whitecaps | |||
Ty Harden | Toronto FC | |||
Ansu Toure | Vancouver Whitecaps | |||
2011 | Maicon Santos | Toronto FC | 3 | |
2012 | Eric Hassli | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2 | |
Ryan Johnson | Toronto FC | |||
Reggie Lambe | Toronto FC | |||
Sébastien Le Toux | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | |||
2013 | Camilo | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 3 | |
2014 | Jack McInerney | Montreal Impact | 3 | |
2015 | Tomi Ameobi | FC Edmonton | 4 | |
2016 | Jonathan Osorio | Toronto FC | 2 | |
Jordan Hamilton | Toronto FC | |||
Nicolás Mezquida | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | |||
2017 | Sebastian Giovinco | Toronto FC | 3 | |
2018 | Jonathan Osorio | Toronto FC | 3 | |
Jozy Altidore | Toronto FC | |||
Kei Kamara | Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
See also
References
- ↑ "Canadian teams set to do battle". Globe and Mail. Canada. March 27, 2008. Retrieved March 28, 2008.
- ↑ "2012 Amway Canadian Championship". Retrieved January 27, 2012.
- ↑ "Toronto Lynx move to PDL". uslsoccer.com. Demosphere International Inc. October 10, 2006. Archived from the original on August 16, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
- 1 2 "Canada to create new club championship". Canadian Soccer Association. January 31, 2008. Archived from the original on February 29, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2008.
- ↑ "Qualifying Format Unveiled for 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League". www.concacaf.com. May 14, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
- ↑ "Canadian soccer on its way to qualifying for FIFA". Vancouver Sun. January 28, 2008. Archived from the original on January 30, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2008.
- ↑ "Canada's soccer teams unveil details for CONCACAF Champions League". Toronto FC Media Relations. March 26, 2008. Archived from the original on November 9, 2007. Retrieved March 26, 2008.
- ↑ "2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship Schedule and Results". Canadian Soccer Association. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved June 19, 2009.
- ↑ "Association confirms 2011 Nutrilite Canadian Championship schedule". canadasoccer.com. February 18, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
- ↑ Tierney, Mitchell (April 23, 2016). "Report: Provincial Champions to Play in Voyageurs Cup as Early as 2017". Retrieved June 10, 2016.
- ↑ "Report: Provincial Champions to Play in Voyageurs Cup as Early as 2018". March 9, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
- ↑ Bedakian, Armen. "Canadian Premier League". canpl.ca. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
- ↑ "Association announces partners for new Nutrilite Canadian Champions League". CanadaSoccer.com. May 23, 2008. Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2008.
- ↑ "Voyageurs Cup Announced For A-League Teams". Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
- ↑ "The name game". Canadian Soccer News. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
- ↑ "A sports fan's worst nightmare". Maclean's Magazine. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- ↑ Rollins, Duane (December 12, 2010). "Format of Canadian Championship may change". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
- ↑ "2012 Amway Canadian Championship". Retrieved January 27, 2012.
- ↑ "Fury FC to Face FC Edmonton in Amway Canadian Championship". Retrieved December 6, 2013.
- 1 2 3 "Canada Soccer announces move to new timeframe for future Amway Canadian Championships" (Press release). Canadian Soccer Association. March 21, 2014. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
- ↑ "Schedule for 2015 Amway Canadian Championship set" (Press release). Canadian Soccer Association. February 4, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
- ↑ "Vancouver Whitecaps, DC United join Seattle Sounders, LA Galaxy in 2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
- ↑ "About the Canadian Championship:". Retrieved July 17, 2018.
- ↑ "About the Canadian Championship". Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ↑ "Oakville Blue Devils qualifies for Canadian Championship - Canada Soccer". www.canadasoccer.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
- ↑ "AS Blainville qualifies for Canadian Championship - Canada Soccer". www.canadasoccer.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
- ↑ "George Gross Memorial Trophy". Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ↑ "Top Scorer". Retrieved August 16, 2018.