Toronto FC will play Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps to decide who will represent Canada in the inaugural 2008-09 season of the CONCACAF Champions League. The tournament was announced at a press conference at BMO Field on Wednesday afternoon.
Full ticket details will be announced next month. The games will not be included in season ticket packages. Season seat holders will be able to buy their seats for both games before they are sold to the public and there will be an exclusive sales period for members of the Toronto FC waiting list.
All three teams will play four games - two at home and two on the road. There will be three points awarded for a win and one point for a draw. If two teams are tied on points after four matches, the winner will be decided first by goal differential, then if necessary by most goals scored. If it is still tied, away goals will be used to decide the winner, then if necessary the drawing of lots.
Toronto FC will kick off the tournament on May 27 at the new Stade Saputo against the Montreal Impact. There will be a Canada Day showdown at BMO Field as TFC host Vancouver Whitecaps. Toronto then head to Vancouver on July 9 and play their final game at home to Montreal on July 22.
"It is great to finally announce this tournament," said Tom Anselmi, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and Governor of Major League Soccer. "The idea started as a friendly tournament between the three teams, but it developed further when we heard about the new CONCACAF Champions League."
"It will be great to play for the bragging rights in Canada. We expect to win the tournament, but so will Vancouver and Montreal," he said. "We are a second year team they have been around for quite a while. The most important thing is that this will help soccer in Canada."
"Hopefully this will inspire people. Competitions such as this support our goal of motivating the next generation of Canada's soccer talent. Kids look up to professional athletes. There hasn't been a lot of that in soccer here, but this will help. We have an obligation to build sport. We do it with hockey and basketball, and we are committed to building soccer," said Anselmi.
The three clubs were represented at the press conference to announce the tournament. Montreal Impact president Joey Saputo and Vancouver Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi were alongside Tom Anselmi. Canadian Soccer Association Chairman Dominic Maestracci made the announcement.
"This competition provides a unique opportunity for the professional clubs and the Canadian Soccer Association to showcase a high-level competition to our fans," said Maestracci. "It will open the door for our best professional club to measure itself against the best clubs in CONCACAF."
The CONCACAF Champions League - which will replace the existing eight-team CONCACAF Champions' Cup - will feature four clubs each from Mexico and the United States, two clubs each from Costa Roca, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, one club each from Canada, Belize and Nicaragua, and three clubs from the Caribbean islands.
