Women's Premier Soccer League Canada

Last updated

Women's Premier Soccer League Canada
Founded2021;4 years ago (2021)
CountryCanada
Confederation CONCACAF
DivisionsCanada East, Canada West
Level on pyramid2 (proposed)

The Women's Premier Soccer League Canada (WPSL Canada) is a proposed semi-professional women's soccer league in Canada. It announced plans to begin play as a division 2 league, which would have made it the top league for women's soccer in the Canadian soccer league system.

Contents

Development of the proposed league was put on hold following the Northern Super League's announced plan of launching a Canadian women's professional soccer league in 2025. [1]

League structure

The league shared plans to operate in two conferences: Canada West and Canada East. Clubs would have played matches each season against other clubs in their respective conferences, followed by conference playoffs and a national championship. [2]

The league would have worked with a limited partnership model as opposed to a membership model. Clubs that bought into the league would have received votes and financial incentives in a similar way that the Canadian Premier League teams have a stake in Canada Soccer Business. [3]

The league stated a desire to establish a foundation for women's soccer in Canada to attract further investment for a future professional division. [4]

Governance

As of December 10,2021, the WPSL Canada's leadership group consisted of Santiago Almada, Sam Bacso, and the US-based WPSL organization. [3]

Teams

The league announced that all clubs would have been held to a high National 2 license standard supplied by Canadian Soccer Association (CSA). These standards would have assured that all clubs in the league met requirements in all categories to qualify to successfully participate in the league. These standards would have included financial, infrastructure, technical and sporting, administrative, governance, and legal criteria. [5] [ independent source needed ]

The league hinted at teams representing Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver as launch cities, however full details for launch clubs in those metropolitan areas were not announced. [3] Sam Basco separately confirmed that Calgary would have a team in the league. [6]

Reception

"Imagine asking any of the players in this video to come home to Canada to play in a league which is:
  • 2.5month season
  • Semi-pro
  • Second-Tier
  • Level below NWSL
It has its place... but this is not what we are fighting for."
—  Stephanie Labbé, December 8, 2021 [7]

The announcement of the proposed league was met with mixed reactions. While some players applauded WPSL Canada for creating new domestic opportunities for Canadians, others, including Canada women's national soccer team player Stephanie Labbé and former player Amy Walsh, criticized the proposed league for not "answering the call" for a fully professional Canadian league. [4] [7] [8] Several analysts also shared their skepticism at the announcement. [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's Premier Soccer League</span> Womens soccer league

The Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) is an amateur women's soccer league in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States soccer league system</span> Series of professional and amateur soccer leagues

The United States soccer league system is a series of professional and amateur soccer leagues based, in whole or in part, in the United States. Sometimes called the American soccer pyramid, teams and leagues are not linked by the system of promotion and relegation typical in soccer elsewhere. Instead, the United States Soccer Federation defines professional leagues in three levels, called divisions, with all other leagues sanctioned by the USSF not having an official designated level or division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christine Sinclair</span> Canadian soccer player (born 1983)

Christine Margaret Sinclair is a retired Canadian professional soccer player who most recently played as a forward for the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and, from 2000 until her retirement from international soccer in 2023, was a member of the Canadian national team. An Olympic gold medallist, two-time Olympic bronze medallist, CONCACAF champion, and 14-time winner of the Canada Soccer Player of the Year award, Sinclair is officially the world's all-time leader for international goals scored for men or women with 190 goals, and is one of the most-capped international soccer players with 331 appearances.

The Canadian soccer league system, also called the Canadian soccer pyramid, is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in Canada. The governing body of soccer in the country is the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA), which oversees the system and domestic cups but does not operate any of its component leagues. In addition, some Canadian teams compete in leagues that are based in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Stars FC</span> American professional soccer club

Chicago Stars Football Club is an American professional soccer team based in the Chicago metropolitan area that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). A founding member of the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league, they have played in the NWSL since 2013. The Stars play their home games at SeatGeek Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western New York Flash</span> Professional soccer club in the United States

The Western New York Flash was an American women's soccer club based in Elma, New York, that most recently competed in the United Women's Soccer league in 2018. They won league championships in four different leagues: the USL W-League in 2010, Women's Professional Soccer in 2011, Women's Premier Soccer League Elite in 2012, and the National Women's Soccer League in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Breakers</span> Soccer team

The Boston Breakers were an American professional women's soccer club based in the Boston neighborhood of Allston. The team competed in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). They replaced the original Breakers, who competed in the defunct Women's United Soccer Association, as the Boston area's professional women's soccer team. Boston would eventually be awarded BOS Nation FC in 2023 that would begin play in 2026.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephanie Labbé</span> Canadian soccer player

Stephanie Lynn Marie Labbé is a Canadian retired professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper.

The prominent women's sports leagues in the United States and Canada serve as the pinnacle of women's athletic competition in North America. The United States is home to the vast majority of professional women's leagues. In North America, the top women's leagues feature both team sports and individual athletes. While some leagues have paid professional female athletes, others do not and function at a semi-professional level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's soccer in the United States</span> Womens association football in the United States

Women's soccer in the United States has developed quite differently from men's soccer. Until the 1970s, organized women's soccer matches in the U.S. existed only on a limited basis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Women's Soccer League</span> Professional soccer league in the United States

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a women's professional soccer league at the top of the United States league system. The league comprises 14 teams. It is owned by the teams and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation. The NWSL is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.

The expansion of the National Women's Soccer League began with the league's sophomore season in 2014, when the league expanded to a ninth team in Houston, and is an ongoing process that currently has seen five expansions, three direct or indirect relocations, and one contraction. The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) was established as the top level of professional women's soccer in the United States in 2013 in the wake of the defunct Women's United Soccer Association and Women's Professional Soccer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calgary Foothills FC</span> Football club

Calgary Foothills Football Club is a Canadian soccer club based in Calgary, Alberta, that competes in League1 Alberta (L1AB). The club was founded as a youth club in 1972 and joined as a USL2 franchise in 2015. The team plays its home games at the Foothills Composite High School in Okotoks. The team colours are green and white.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Women's Soccer</span> American womens semi-profession soccer league

United Women's Soccer (UWS) is a national pro-am women's soccer league in the United States. The league was founded in 2015 as a response to the dual problems of disorganization in the WPSL and of the folding of the original USL W-League. The league began play in May 2016 with eleven teams in two conferences. The first league currently has 39 teams in 3 conferences and second league currently has 18 teams in 2 conferences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kailen Sheridan</span> Canadian soccer player (born 1995)

Kailen Mary Iacovoni Sheridan is a Canadian professional soccer goalkeeper for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Canada national team. She previously played for Sky Blue FC / NJ/NY Gotham FC and played college soccer for the Clemson Tigers. She was named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year with the Wave in 2022.

Sarah Jacquelyn Luebbert is an American professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Liga MX Femenil side Club América.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas City Current</span> American professional womens soccer team based in Kansas City, Missouri

The Kansas City Current are an American professional soccer team based in Kansas City, Missouri, that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). It was founded as an expansion team in 2021. The team plays its home games at CPKC Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Rise FC</span> Womens soccer club in Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver Rise FC is a professional women's soccer club based in Vancouver, British Columbia that will compete in the Northern Super League, in the top flight of the Canadian soccer league system. Majority-owned by Vancouver Whitecaps FC co-owner Greg Kerfoot, the club is led by Sinead King, and managed by Stephanie Labbé. Its colours are teal, black, and gold, while its crest depicts the North Shore Mountains. Its home games will be played at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby.

References

  1. ↑ "WPSL Announces the WPSL PRO, Targets 2025 as Inaugural Year". Protagonist Soccer. February 8, 2023. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved April 9, 2023. At this time, a league source confirmed, the earlier proposed WPSL Canada is on hold as Project 8 fleshes out their own Canadian women's soccer league.
  2. ↑ Bashir, Raheem (December 10, 2021). "The WPSL Canada: A planned nationally sanctioned Division II league". Last Word On Soccer. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Jacques, John (December 10, 2021). "What You Need To Know About WPSL Canada". Northern Tribune. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Dichter, Myles (December 9, 2021). "Introduction of new Canadian women's soccer league prompts mixed reaction from players". CBC Sports . Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Women's Premier Soccer League - Canada". wpslcanada.com. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  6. ↑ White, Ryan (December 8, 2021). "Calgary to join Women's Premier Soccer League". CTV News . Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  7. 1 2 @stephlabbe1 (December 8, 2021). "Imagine asking any of the players in this video to come home to Canada to play in a league which is: 2.5month season - Semi-pro - Second-Tier - Level below NWSL - It has its place... but this is not what we are fighting for" (Tweet). Retrieved December 12, 2022– via Twitter.
  8. ↑ Téotonio, Jean-François (December 9, 2021). "La WPSL veut créer les " fondations " d'une ligue professionnelle au Canada" [The WPSL wants to create the "foundations" of a professional league in Canada]. La Presse (in French). Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  9. ↑ @onesoccer (December 9, 2021). "The @WPSL announced it would be "answering the call" and bringing a women's soccer league to Canada... ...but for #CanWNT GK @stephlabbe1? "This is not what we are fighting for." Here's @AndiPetrillo recapping the story + NEW UPDATE" (Tweet). Retrieved April 27, 2023– via Twitter.
  10. ↑ Campbell, Morgan (host) (December 22, 2021). "WPSL Canada misses the mark, is a professional women's soccer league in Canada viable?". Bring It In. CBC. CBC Sports . Retrieved April 27, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.