Competition Format
The Canadian Soccer League season runs from April/May through October/November annually. There are currently 16 teams in the league that compete in a single table format. Teams play a balanced schedule of 22 games, with the top 8 ranked teams advancing to the playoffs. The playoffs operate as a two-leg quarterfinal home and away series, followed by a one-game semifinal for the four surviving teams and a one-game final to crown the CSL Champions.
The CSL is the top level soccer league wholly within Canada. However four Canadian clubs play in higher leagues that are primarily based in the United States – Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer, and FC Edmonton in the NASL. A new team based in Ottawa will join the NASL in time for the 2014 season.
The CSL has appealed to the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) for its league champion to be added as the 5th team to the Amway Canadian Championship, in which the winner qualifies for the CONCACAF Champions League. They have not been permitted to enter as of yet.
Read more about this topic: Canadian Soccer League
Famous quotes containing the word competition:
“Mothers seem to be in subtle competition with teachers. There is always an underlying fear that teachers will do a better job than they have done with their child.... But mostly mothers feel that their areas of competence are very much similar to those of the teacher. In fact they feel they know their child better than anyone else and that the teacher doesn’t possess any special field of authority or expertise.”
—Sara Lawrence Lightfoot (20th century)