It’s been 93 years since the first CSL championship – then called the National Soccer League (NSL) championship – was played, a game won by Ulster United in 1926.
While name changes have taken place, the Canadian Soccer League (CSL), has had a perpetual existence, a league described by Canadian soccer historian Colin Jose in his book, ON-SIDE, as a Canadian league like no other, having been born out of turmoil in the tumultuous years of the 1920s and having stood the test of time.
This year’s CSL Championship will be played at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke on Saturday, October 13 at 3 pm, the Canadian Soccer League has announced.
Details were released this week, with the top eight teams in the First Division qualifying to enter the post season playoffs. The quarterfinals will kickoff Friday, September 28 through the weekend September 29, 30.
The semifinals will take place the weekend October 5,6 and 7.
The CSL Second Division championship game will also be played at Centennial Stadium on October 13 and will kickoff at 1 pm immediately prior to the league final at 3.
The top two teams at the end of the Second Division regular season will gain a bye to the semifinals.
The Second Division quarterfinals, will be played September 28, 29, 30, and the semifinals will be played the weekend October 5,6,7.
In the Second Division Championship quarterfinals, team 3 in the final standings will play team 6 and team 4 will play team 5.
In the semifinals, the top team in the Second Division regular season will play the winner of teams 4 vs 5 and the runner-up will play the winner of teams 3 vs 6.
In both the CSL Championship and CSL Second Division Championship, the highest teams in the regular season standings will have home game advantage in all games leading up to the final.
Games tied at end of regulation time will play a 15-minutes each way extra time and if still tied, FIFA penalty kicks will be taken.