| Season | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Dates | May 28 – September 16 (regular season) September 23 – October 7 (playoffs) [a] |
| Regular season champions | Scarborough SC (2nd title) |
| Matches played | 42 |
| Goals scored | 190 (4.52 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Serhiy Ivlyev (13) |
| Biggest home win | Serbian White Eagles 9–2 Weston United (August 26, 2023) |
| Biggest away win | Weston United 1–9 Dynamo Toronto (July 22, 2023) |
| Longest winning run | 5 matches Scarborough SC Toronto Falcons |
| Longest unbeaten run | 6 matches Toronto Dynamo |
| Longest winless run | 12 matches Ooty Black Pearl |
| Longest losing run | 12 matches Ooty Black Pearl |
← 2022 2024 → | |
The 2023 Canadian Soccer League season was the 26th season under the Canadian Soccer League name. The season commenced on May 28, 2023, with a tribute match, while the regular season officially began on May 28, 2023. The season would conclude on September 16, 2023, with Scarborough SC winning their second regular-season title. [1]
Originally, a postseason was scheduled to occur around late September till early October, but was canceled after the completion of the regular season. [2] Reasons for the cancellation varied from a lack of available playing venues to financial reasons. [2]
The regular season began in late May 2023 with seven teams vying for the league title and a playoff berth. [3] [4] It became evident early on that the regular season title would be primarily contested between Scarborough SC and the Serbian White Eagles. [5] [6] The Serbs started the campaign in a winning fashion by initially producing a three-game undefeated streak until succumbing to Hamilton City in the early stages of the competition. [5] Despite the loss, the defending divisional champions would later regain the lead in the standings from Scarborough. [7]
On the Scarborough front, the team also had an impressive run in the early stages. [5] The eastern Toronto side also managed an undefeated run, even usurping the top position from Serbia, when the original result of a controversial loss to debutant Dynamo Toronto was reversed in Scarborough's favor. [5] The club benefited from a victory over the Serbs in their first encounter. [8] However, the lead was only temporary as the Serbs would regain leadership in the standings on a technicality. [7] This technicality stemmed from their original match, where Scarborough failed to provide the proper documents regarding an acquired import. [7] Shortly after, the disciplinary committee reversed the decision in Serbia's favor. [7]
Following the controversial match, the situation would remain the same throughout the season, with the White Eagles holding the lead and Scarborough trailing behind. [9] Ultimately, the regular season title would be decided in the final match. [10] Before the final game, Serbia had a two-point advantage over Scarborough and needed only a victory or a draw to secure the title. [10] In the final week of the competition, Scarborough defeated the western Toronto side and claimed their second divisional title. [1] Monetary issues among member clubs were the reason for the cancellation of the postseason, as some members failed to fulfill their financial dues to the league. [1]
League membership increased to seven clubs with the addition of three expansion clubs. [11] [4] The expansion sides included Dynamo Toronto FC, Ooty Black Pearl FC, and Weston United FC. [11] The acceptance of Dynamo Toronto marked the league's return to the city of Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area. [12] Ooty Black Pearl and Weston United are both ethnic association clubs representing the Indian and Brazilian communities in the Greater Toronto Area. [13] [14] The two departing clubs were defending champions FC Continentals, which requested a year-long hiatus, and York Region Shooters. [11] [5]
Hamilton City became a single entity once more, as they previously fielded a hybrid team during the COVID-19 pandemic. [11] Brantford Galaxy was originally scheduled to compete but withdrew just before the start of the season. [11] [15]
The league commenced with the Royal CSL Cup, a tribute match in honor of former league announcer Enio Perruzza, who died in 2021. [11] [16] All league matches were played in Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto, with the first half played at Mattamy Sports Park and the remainder at the Paramount Centre fields. [11] [6]
| Team | City | Stadium | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamo Toronto FC | Brampton, Ontario | Mattamy Sports Park | Wais Azizi [17] |
| Hamilton City | Hamilton, Ontario | Saša Vuković [6] | |
| Ooty Black Pearl FC | Toronto, Ontario | Anto Santhosh [18] | |
| Scarborough SC | Toronto, Ontario (Scarborough) | Zoran Knežević | |
| Serbian White Eagles | Toronto, Ontario (Etobicoke) | Uroš Stamatović | |
| Toronto Falcons | Toronto, Ontario | Maksym Rohovskyi [19] | |
| Weston United FC | Toronto, Ontario (York) | Wallace Reis [20] |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scarborough SC (X) | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 37 | 9 | +28 | 28 | |
| 2 | Serbian White Eagles | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 42 | 18 | +24 | 27 | |
| 3 | Toronto Falcons | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 32 | 9 | +23 | 25 | |
| 4 | Dynamo Toronto FC | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 33 | 22 | +11 | 19 | |
| 5 | Hamilton City | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 33 | −13 | 16 | |
| 6 | Weston United FC | 12 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 49 | −37 | 5 | |
| 7 | Ooty Black Pearl | 12 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 14 | 50 | −36 | 2 |
The Royal CSL Cup was a tribute match in honour of former league announcer Enio Perruzza, who died in 2021. [16]
| May 13, 2023 | Serbian White Eagles | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–5 p) | Toronto Falcons | Mississauga, Ontario |
| 16:00 | Report | Stadium: Mattamy Sports Park | ||
| Penalties | ||||
Krasić  Milošević Đurković Marko Stajić | Vasyl Matviyshin Solonynko Pitel Sukhetskyi Yevhen Osypenko | |||
