Match schedules confirmed for the Toyota National Championships

Canada Soccer has confirmed the match schedules for the 2024 Toyota National Championships that will take place this October for the men’s Challenge Trophy and women’s Jubilee Trophy in Surrey, British Columbia. The annual competitions will determine national amateur champions on Thanksgiving Monday 14 October.

Both competitions kick off Wednesday 9 October with 10 teams in the Challenge Trophy competition and six teams in the Jubilee Trophy competition. In all, there are 36 matches across the two divisions with all matches staged at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey.

Canada Soccer’s Toyota National Championships are hosted each October across six divisions in three venues: the adult competition for the men’s Challenge Trophy and women’s Jubilee Trophy; the U-17 Cup competition for boys and girls; the U-15 Cup competition for boys and girls.

Across those six divisions, there are 146 matches scheduled for 60 teams from 9 to 14 October in Surrey, Cape Breton and Quinte West. The complete schedules along with qualification pathways have been published at www.canadasoccer.com/competitions.

100th EDITION OF THE TOYOTA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

This year marks the 100th edition of Canada Soccer’s club competition, the Toyota National Championships. Established alongside the inauguration of Canada Soccer (originally known as the Dominion of Canada Football Association), the first winners were Norwood Wanderers FC of St. Boniface, Manitoba in 1913.

The original Winners’ Trophy was the Connaught Cup, named after Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught and Strathern (the 10^th Governor General of Canada). The trophy was presented 10 times from 1913 to 1925 (excluding the years of the Great War).

Starting in 1926, the Dominion of Canada Football Championship winners were awarded the Challenge Trophy, a gift to Canada Soccer presented by The Football Association of England. This trophy remained in circulation until 2003 before a new Challenge Trophy was created. The original Challenge Trophy remains on display at Canada Soccer House in Ottawa.

From 1928 to 1972, Westminster Royals FC won the Challenge Trophy a record nine times. They won the title four times during their first dynasty (1928, 1930, 1931, 1936), four more times during their second dynasty (1953, 1955, 1958, 1960), and once more in 1972.

In 1966, Canada Soccer introduced its first Youth National Championship, which today is competed across multiple divisions for both boys and girls. In 2024, Canada Soccer further elevated its youth competitions with the introduction of the Player-Development Program Championship (the first winners were crowned on 18 August 2024 at Edmonton).

Canada Soccer introduced its first Women’s National Championship in 1982 and the 40th edition was competed in 2023. The winners are awarded the Jubilee Trophy.

From 1982 to 2000, the Edmonton Angels SC won the Jubilee Trophy a record nine times. They won the title five years in a row from 1982 to 1986, won it again in 1988 and 1995, then won it two more times in 1999 and 2000.

Canada Soccer’s Challenge Trophy has been awarded strictly to amateur clubs since 1962. This past year in Halifax, West Ottawa SC won the men’s Challenge Trophy while Holy Cross FC of St. John’s won the Jubilee Trophy.

In 2008, Canada Soccer introduced the Canadian Championship as the men’s national competition for professional teams, with the winners lifting the Voyageurs Cup and qualifying to Concacaf Champions Cup. In 2024, the competition featured 14 professional and semi-professional clubs from across Major League Soccer, the Canadian Premier League, and League1 Canada.

The 2024 Canadian Championship Final will be played on 25 September at BC Place, with the two-time defending champions Vancouver Whitecaps FC facing Toronto FC.

In 2025, the Northern Super League will launch as Canada’s first women’s professional soccer league. The new league will have professional franchises in British Columbia (Vancouver Rise FC), Alberta (Calgary Wild FC), Ontario (AFC Toronto and Ottawa Rapid FC), Québec (Montréal), and Nova Scotia (Halifax Tides FC).