August 3, 2007 CSL searches for more International teams (from CSL media release)
INTERNATIONAL TEAMS WANTED
Friday - August 3, 2007
Rivalries popular
With more than 200 countries adopting soccer as their main sport of interest it’s hard to consider the game as being purely a domestic pastime.
As a result of many positive international soccer developments in Toronto, not the least of which is the unparalleled success of the U-20 FIFA World Championships, the Canadian Soccer League is looking to aggressively expand its International Division.
With established franchises in the Italia, Portuguese, Croatian, African and Serbian communities, the CSL is specifically looking for franchises from the following groups:
• Greek • Chinese • Korean • Indian • Polish • Hungarian • German • English
This list is by no means exclusive. The long-term vision for the International Conference of the Canadian Soccer League is to have at least 20 franchises with robust competition in the world’s most multicultural city.
The Canadian Soccer League launched its International Conference in 2006 following many enquiries over a number of years by ethnic teams wanting to play each other. Six teams have succeeded in meeting the CSL requirements for entry – five are playing in the 2007 competition. The sixth, and others, will be playing in 2008.
CSL Commissioner Cary Kaplan explained this week: “ While we are committed to international soccer, we want expansion to be measured and will follow a path of ensuring the teams are also committed for the long-term. Sharing that commitment will serve to develop what we believe is a concept that will play an important future role in the lives of many nationalities that make up Toronto’s still growing diverse community, and their love of the game of soccer.”
The CSL is Canada’s only professional soccer league with community teams in Ontario and Quebec. Plans are afoot for community expansion in central Canada and some provinces to the east and in western Canada, but the league’s International Conference expansion in the Toronto area will be given a lot of attention given the groundswell of interest by groups representing their country of origin.
Interested groups wishing to discuss the expanding Canadian Soccer League’s International Division and wanting to step into an international environment should call Tanya Ng Yuen or Stan Adamson at 905 856-5439 to arrange a meeting.
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