The Canadian Soccer League will kickoff its 2024 season with a compact four teams on May 31, the opener of three matches for the Royal CSL Cup, a pre-regular season competition played in tribute to Enio Perruzza, the CSL game announcer and popular figure with the fans for more than two decades who passed away on January 21, 2021.
The opening game, Serbian White Eagles vs. Future Stars FC is the first semifinal for the Royal CSL Cup at Centennial Stadium in Toronto’s west end, an 8 pm kickoff on Friday, May 31, to be followed on Sunday, June 2 by the second semifinal between Scarborough and Unity FC a 6 pm kickoff at Esther Shiner Stadium in North York. The final and trophy presentation will take place on Sunday, June 9 at Esther Shiner Stadium, a 6 pm kickoff.
The CSL regular season opener will be played on Friday, June 14 going through to Sunday, September 22 at the two grounds – Centennial Stadium and Esther Shiner Stadium. The CSL Championship playoffs will follow, with the two semifinals at Esther Shiner Stadium on Saturday, September 28 to be followed by the CSL Championship Final at Centennial Stadium on Sunday, October 6, a 5 pm kickoff.
Scarborough SC and Serbian White Eagles return after being the top two teams in 2023 with Scarborough winning the league title and Serbian White Eagles the runner-up.
Scarborough won the regular season league title in 2020 and has been prominent in the playoffs by reaching the last six CSL Championship finals, winning the CSL Championship in 2019 and 2021. Serbian White Eagles won the CSL Championship in 2008 and 2016, were runners-up in 2006, 2007 and 2009 and were regular season league title winners in 2015 and 2022.
The new entries into the CSL are Future Stars FC and Unity FC. Future Stars – also known as FC Spanish Future Stars – is expected to be competitive in the CSL with its founders in Cali, Colombia and players signed from South America arriving in Canada before the kickoff on May 31. Wellington Zuca De Sousa ls the club’s head coach with Juan Mina, a permanent resident in Canada from Colombia, leading the Canadian organization. Local players in the GTA are also being scouted and the club is also establish a soccer academy for younger players.
Unity FC is also of South American influence which originates from Brazil. There will also be players and others from Mexico and Portugal. The club’s principles are president Cayo Braz, who founded the organization and club director Pietra Miglari who is largely responsible for the club’s operations, including player acquisitions both in Canada and elsewhere. “Our player signings are progressing well and we are particularly pleased with forward Ivan Flores who will wear No. 10 – he is a goal scorer from Mexico,” explained Migliari.
Commenting on the changing circumstances and games to be played, CSL president Dragan Bakoc expressed pleasure following the release of the schedule. “We again welcome two new teams into the Canadian Soccer League and also the return of two teams in what is a new era for the league in a re-building process which is intended and structured only for organizations that meet the semi-professional requirements,” he said.
Peter Kovacs continues in league operations, Les Anning the ground operations manager, Devor Kresic the co-ordinator of match officials and Stan Adamson is the corporate secretary and media official.
