Association announces schedule for 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship

The Canadian Soccer Association and its three top professional clubs – Montréal Impact, Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC – announced the schedule today for the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship. The three-team, six-match tournament runs this 6 May to 17 June. The 2009 winner will advance to represent Canada in 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League season.



The Impact, last year’s winner in the 2008 Nutrilite Canadian Championship, is still involved in 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League play. In fact, the Impact plays its first match in the quarter-final stage on Wednesday 25 February at Stade Olympique. The match is expected to draw more than 40,000 fans for the Impact-Santos Laguna encounter.



As 2008 champions, the Impact will host the final game of the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship on 17 June. The Impact will host last year’s runner up Toronto FC for the 2009 tournament finale.



Toronto FC hosts the first two matches at BMO Field – against the Whitecaps on Wednesday 6 May and against the Impact on 13 May. The schedule then shifts to Stade Saputo when the Impact hosts the Whitecaps on Wednesday 20 May.



The Vancouver Whitecaps then host back-to-back games at Swangard Stadium on Wednesday 27 May (against the Montréal Impact) and Tuesday 2 June (against Toronto FC). The Impact-Toronto FC finale comes two weeks later on Wednesday 17 June.



Five of the six matches are played on Wednesday night, with only the 2 June match played on Tuesday (just before the break for FIFA international matches). Montréal and Toronto matches kick off at 20.00 local time (20.00 ET / 17.00 PT), the Vancouver matches kick off at 19.00 local time (22.00 ET / 19.00 PT).



All three teams play four games in the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship – two home and two away against each opponent. Each team receives three points for a win and one point for a draw. The first-place team wins the 2009 Voyageurs Cup and advances to the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League. The CONCACAF champion advances to the annual FIFA Club World Cup.



2009 Match Schedule / Programme des Matchs

06.5.2009 – BMO Field – Toronto FC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC

13.5.2009 – BMO Field – Toronto FC – Impact de Montréal

20.5.2009 – Stade Saputo – Impact de Montréal – Vancouver Whitecaps FC

27.5.2009 – Swangard Stadium – Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Impact de Montréal

02.6.2009 – Swangard Stadium – Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Toronto FC

17.6.2009 – Stade Saputo – Impact de Montréal – Toronto FC