Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact are likely in the hunt for new leagues for their respective academy teams after the Canadian Soccer Association reportedly has severed ties with the Canadian Soccer League.
According to CBC Sports, the CSA stopped sanctioning the league for a number of reasons – not the least of which are match-fixing allegations surrounding league games over a number of years that is part of a larger match-fixing scandal in Europe.
The Ontario- and Quebec-based CSL represents the third-highest level of soccer in Canada behind MLS and the NASL. Toronto and Montreal both field academy sides in the league.
Under FIFA regulations, any players who play in an unsanctioned league would not be able to participate in a sanctioned leagues like MLS without facing heavy fines.
There are options for TFC and the Impact, however. Some of Montreal’s youth teams are already a part of the US Soccer Federation Development Academy structure. If Toronto want to remain in an all-Canadian league, it would likely mean joining the Ontario Soccer League Elite League.
The Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s Residency is unaffected as it is part of the USL’s Professional Development League.
The CSA declined to comment on the report when contacted by MLSsoccer.com.
