Canada Soccer to bring PDP Championship to global audience through FIFA+

Canada Soccer’s Player-Development Program Championship will be streamed live on FIFA+ starting Wednesday 27 August as some of the best youth clubs from across the country compete for the PDP U-17 Cup and the PDP U-15 Cup. All 32 matches from the PDP U-17 Cup will be broadcast live on FIFA+ as well as the last day of placement matches from the PDP U-15 Cup on Sunday 31 August, with the preliminary portion of the U-15 competition being streamed on Canada Soccer’s YouTube channel.

As part of Canada Soccer’s Youth Competitions Network, the annual PDP Championship brings together the top youth teams from Canada’s four standards-based leagues: the BC Soccer Premier League, the Alberta Player-Development League, the Ontario Player-Development League, and the Québec Youth Soccer Premier League (PLSJQ). Each league qualifies two teams in each of the four divisions, thus bringing together 32 teams across the five-day event from 27-31 August in Vaughan, Ontario.

“The PDP Championship is a fantastic showcase of emerging talent. We are proud to have FIFA+ provide a global platform to highlight these athletes. This collaboration supports our ongoing commitment to player development and raising the standard of the game in Canada.”

Peter Augruso, Canada Soccer President

This year’s 32 qualified teams advanced from a group of 210 youth teams competing in the four divisions across the four leagues. The 32 teams represent 24 different clubs including former national youth champions Burnaby FC, Calgary Blizzard SC, Calgary Foothills SC, Coastal FC, Coquitlam Metro-Ford SC, Lakeshore SC, CS Longueuil, Pickering SC, St. Albert Impact FC, CS Saint-Laurent, CS St-Hubert, and Woodbridge SC. This marks the first time ever that Canada Soccer has hosted as many as 32 youth teams in one venue for a national competition.

Canada Soccer’s Player-Development Program features a network of standards-based programs that represent high-level amateur youth soccer in Canada. Participating organisations, both clubs and academies, all meet the requirements for standards-based programming including recognition as an active National Youth Club Licensee.

Alongside the 32 qualified youth teams, the PDP Championship will feature some of Canada Soccer’s best young referees from the Elite Referee Development Program. With 64 matches across the four divisions, the referees will be working alongside top referee prospects from the host province Ontario Soccer.

Across the first four years of the competition, Canada Soccer will host the PDP Championship alongside the four provincial member associations in which Canada’s standards-based youth leagues are played: Alberta in 2024, Ontario in 2025, Québec in 2026, and British Columbia in 2027.