PICTURE: In earlier years Krum Bibishikov made an appearance in UEFA Europa League play, represented Real Mississauga at the CSL’s AGM
It’s a new season in a new location for the Canadian Soccer League which kicked off 2019 business in earnest at the Annual General Meeting held on Sunday, two weeks before the opening match between CSC Mississauga and SC Waterloo, a First Division encounter at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga on May 19.
Team owners and representatives met at 75 International Blvd at Toronto May 5, a fitting address for a group with several members in attendance with high level soccer experience in many countries. Krum Bibishikov, now 36, who drew the interest of Bayern Munich in his early playing days in Bulgaria and played top soccer in Portugal, Romania and Israel, represented Real Mississauga at the meeting, a team facing its second season in the CSL. An outstanding forward, Bibishikov also played in UEFA’s Europa League while in Romania.
The upbeat meeting confirmed 10 teams in the First Division this coming season, with the top eight advancing to the playoffs. Six reserve teams will make up the league’s Second Division, the top two teams in the Second Division gaining automatic entry into the playoff semifinals.
About 300 players will take part in the 16 teams this coming season, some of which will be experiencing a first step entry into professional soccer, while ten First Division sides will also include high level players signed from other countries, mostly from Europe.
First Division teams are: Brantford Galaxy, CSC Mississauga, Hamilton City, Kingsman SC, Real Mississauga SC, Scarborough SC, Serbian White Eagles, FC Ukraine United, FC Vorkuta and SC Waterloo.
Second Division: Brantford Galaxy B, CSC Mississauga B, FC Vorkuta B, Hamilton City B, Kingsman B, Serbian White Eagles B, Vorkuta B.
