.svg){kind=icon}
France
Women's U-20
The Government of Canada announced its new federal policy for hosting international sports events, which will provide the foundation for a proactive and strategic approach for the bidding and the hosting of international sport events in Canada. The policy will assist national sport bodies such as the Canadian Soccer Association in securing future international events.
“We applaud the Government of Canada’s proactive approach to hosting future international events,” says Peter Montopoli, General Secretary, Canadian Soccer Association. “Bringing the world to Canada is just another way that we can showcase this great nation while also developing the sport from athletes to infastructure.”
Canada’s women’s national team returns to its residency camp today in Vancouver, British Columbia. Under the watchful eye of head coach Even Pellerud, the team now knows the route it must take for the next four months, culminating in the 2008 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in Beijing. Last month in Juarez, México, Canada’s senior team qualified for the Summer Olympics for the first time in women’s program history.
“We are missing a few players due to an ongoing U-20 tournament in the United States, but the balance of the roster is returning to action on 1 May after a two-and-a-half week break since the successful Olympic qualification event in México,” says Pellerud, who expects his U-20 stars back by 4 May. The team should be ready to step on the field again.”
L’équipe nationale canadienne féminine senior rentre aujourd’hui à son camp résidentiel à Vancouver, en Colombie-Britannique. Sous la direction soignée de l’entraîneur-chef Even Pellerud, l’équipe connaît désormais la route qu’elle doit prendre au cours des quatre prochains mois, avec comme destination finale le Tournoi Olympique de Football Féminin 2008, qui se déroulera à Beijing, en Chine. Le mois dernier, à Ciudad Juarez, au Mexique, l’équipe nationale féminine senior s’est qualifiée pour les Jeux Olympiques d’été pour la première fois de l’histoire du programme de soccer féminin.
« Il nous manque quelques joueuses à cause d’un tournoi des moins de 20 ans (U-20) qui a lieu actuellement aux États-Unis, mais le reste de l’effectif retournera au camp le 1er mai suite à une pause de deux semaines et demie à l’issue du tournoi préolympique fructueux au Mexique, affirme Pellerud, qui attend le retour de ses joueuses U-20 le 4 mai. La sélection devrait être prête à regagner le terrain de jeu. »
Canadian supporters can buy general-public tickets to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Qualifiers starting next Wednesday. All single-seat tickets to the 20 June Montreal match will be available through Admission starting at 09.00 ET (local time) on 7 May. Ticket prices range from $10-30.
“One of the things that can certainly help us during the qualifying process is the fan support,” says coach Dale Mitchell. “I have to admit to being a little envious to what has gone on in the last year or so within Canada. (At the Toronto FC home opener), there was a sea of red in the stands cheering on the team. I can tell you as an ex-player that that would have been a great lift to the team. Our players are very excited to be playing at home in front of Canadian fans. That can be a big advantage to us.”
The Canadian Soccer Association heads to St. John’s, NL this weekend for the 2008 Annual General Meeting on 3 May. At the top of the agenda is the election of new officers, specifically the president (four-year term), one vice-president, one director-at-large, and the director professional.
The full weekend includes an Executive meeting on Thursday, a Board of Directors meeting on Friday, and the General Meeting on Saturday morning. The General Meeting will be followed by a press conference (online webcast available to the general public) and evening banquet. The Association’s annual award winners will be celebrated at the evening banquet.
The legacy continues to grow. Nine months after the close of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007, another award has been bestowed upon the largest single-sport event ever held in Canada. Today, it was the Canadian Sports Tourism Alliance and its second-annual CSTA PRESTIGE Awards. The FIFA U-20 World Cup was selected as the CSTA Sport Event of the Year (budget over $250,000).
“The FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 has provided a terrific springboard from which our sport can grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years,” says Peter Montopoli, Canadian Soccer Association General Secretary and former National Event Director for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007.
The Soccer Hall of Fame welcomed its newest class of inductees on Saturday 26 April. Four players, five builders, one pioneer and one team of distinction was celebrated at the ninth annual induction banquet.
The four inducted players were Jack Brand, John McGrane, Helen Stoumbos and Walter Bowman. Brand was a goalkeeper in the old North American Soccer League. He was the winning goaltender in Soccer Bowl ’78 with the New York Cosmos. McGrane, a midfielder and defender, played in more than 200 NASL games for three different teams. Stoumbos was a member of Canada’s 1995 World Cup team in Sweden. Bowman, meanwhile, holds the distinction of being the first player born outside of the British Isles to play in England’s Football League.
The message is loud and clear. One day after announcing the date and location for Canada’s first home leg in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Qualifiers, Canadians from coast to coast have been asked to get behind the national team. With an unprecedented surge in popularity within Canada for the global game, Montréal will have the first opportunity to support the men’s national team in the world’s most important tournament. That first task is scheduled for 20 June at Stade Saputo.
“One of the things that can certainly help us during the qualifying process is the fan support,” says coach Dale Mitchell. “I have to admit to being a little envious to what has gone on in the last year or so within Canada. (At the Toronto FC home opener), there was a sea of red in the stands cheering on the team. I can tell you as an ex-player that that would have been a great lift to the team.”
Listen to Dale Mitchell : Clip 1 | Clip 2
The Canadian Soccer Association has announced that the Canadian leg of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Qualifiers series against Saint Vincent & the Grenadines will take place on Friday 20 June 2008 at Stade Saputo in Montréal, QC. The match will kick off at 19.30.
