Additional teams confirmed for Canada Soccer’s amateur competitions

Canada Soccer has confirmed host and additional teams that will participate at the 2024 Toyota National Championships this October as well as the Regional Masters competition in September. These provincial spots will complete a record 105 qualified teams competing in Canada Soccer’s 2024 national amateur competitions as well as 14 qualified teams competing in the regional Masters competition.

Schedules and qualified teams for all of Canada Soccer’s 2024 national amateur competitions have been published at canadasoccer.com/competitions. Already this year, two national amateur champions were crowned at the Futsal Canadian Championship in April (men and women) and four national amateur champions were crowned at the inaugural Player-Development Program Championship in August (PDP U-17 Cup and PDP U-15 Cup).

For the 100th edition of the men’s Challenge Trophy competition which starts Wednesday 9 October in Surrey, British Columbia, there will be 10 teams split into two groups. The 10-team field will include winners from eight provinces and territories, the runners up from the hosts British Columbia, and the drawn additional team from Ontario (the runners up from the upcoming Ontario Cup Final). Out of the group stage, the top two teams will play for the Challenge Trophy on Monday 14 October at Newton Athletic Field.

During the same week in Surrey, the women’s Jubilee Trophy competition will feature six teams from five provinces. The sixth team, to ensure two even groups of three teams, will be the runners up from the hosts British Columbia. This year’s competition will include the group phase and Semifinals before the Final on Thanksgiving Monday.

For the U-17 Cup in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, there will be 10 teams in the boys’ division (from 10 provinces) and 12 teams in the girls’ division (from 11 provinces/territories). Nova Scotia have been appointed a second team in the girls’ division.

For the U-15 Cup in Quinte West, Ontario, there will be 12 teams in the boys’ division (from 11 provinces/territories) and 10 teams in the girls’ division (from 10 provinces). Ontario have been appointed a second team in the boys’ division.

For the women’s Masters competition in Surrey, British Columbia, there will be six teams from five provinces. British Columbia have been appointed a second team to ensure two even groups of three teams (this competition will only feature the group phase before the Final and ranking matches). The men’s Masters competition will feature four teams in the West (Surrey) and four teams in the East (St. John’s).

Since 2018, Canada Soccer’s national amateur competitions have featured clubs from all 13 provincial and territorial soccer organisations. This year, 17 teams competed in the Futsal Canadian Championship and 28 teams competed in the Player-Development Program Championship in August. This year’s 105 qualified teams will come from a group of more than 800 amateur teams competing in men’s and women’s divisions in the adult, U-17 and U-15 categories from September 2023 through October 2024.

This year marks the 100th edition of Canada Soccer’s national amateur competitions since they were first inaugurated in 1913 after the organisation’s establishment. Over the years, those competitions have featured different divisions and age levels, with the inaugural Dominion of Canada Football Championship switched to a strictly amateur competition in 1962. Since 2008, Canada Soccer’s national amateur competitions have been complemented by the Canadian Championship which today features men’s professional and semi-professional clubs from Major League Soccer, the Canadian Premier League and League1 Canada.

At all age levels, Canada Soccer’s national amateur competitions provide a meaningful soccer experience for host cities and participating teams, including the players, coaches, support staff, officials and volunteers. For more information on hosting opportunities for future editions of Canada Soccer’s national amateur competitions, interested communities and soccer organisations should visit canadasoccer.com/nationals.