Canada Soccer recently introduced its Club Licencing Program.

The Canada Soccer Club Licencing Program takes a principles-based approach which allows organizations to develop and select the methods by which they operate based on their available resources and unique situation and context. Developed in collaboration with Provincial and Territorial Association members, and incorporating international best practices, the program will set clearly defined standards and expectations for member organizations, recognize excellence in the soccer community, raise the level of clubs, and drive change within the soccer system throughout Canada.

“Canada Soccer acknowledges the work done by Ontario Soccer in building their Club Excellence Program, which provided the foundation for building the Canada Soccer Club Licencing Program,” said Canada Soccer Director of Development Jason de Vos. “Ontario Soccer has been a valued partner in this process, and we look forward to working with them to implement the Club Licencing Program across the province.”

The Canada Soccer Club Licencing Program has four categories for all youth Clubs and private Academies in Ontario and Canada to apply to:

• National Youth Club Licence
• Provincial/Territorial Youth Licence 2
• Provincial Territorial Youth Licence 1
• Quality Soccer Provider

“Canada Soccer has taken the bold step of creating standards for all soccer organizations across the country. The four levels of standards for youth organizations follows on from Ontario’s leadership on Standards based programs. The highest level of standards will be recognized as the National Club Licence which is similar to the OPDL standards,” said Gary Miller, Ontario Soccer Technical Director. “This will allow OPDL organizations to be recognized with the Canada Soccer status of a National Youth Club Licence. As Canada Soccer rolls out the Provincial/Territorial Youth Licence 2, Provincial Territorial Youth Licence 1 and Quality Soccer Provider licences, the basic foundations will be taken from Ontario Soccer’s Club Excellence Awards of Gold, Silver and Bronze.”

The Canada Soccer National Youth Club Licence recognizes the highest achieving organizations from across Canada and rewards them with the Canada Soccer Approved Youth Soccer Club endorsement and associated MLS Home Grown Player benefits. Organizations achieving this licence display characteristics and demonstrate behaviours aligned with the highest expectations of governance, administration, infrastructure, and technical, support their province and Canada Soccer Pathways and participate in the highest level of competition in Canada; the Canada Soccer Player Development Program.  

Canada Soccer has recently provided updates on the roll out of the Provincial/Territorial Youth Licence 2, Provincial Territorial Youth Licence 1 and Quality Soccer Provider licences, laying out the following timelines to their creation, application and approval.   

By March 31, 2019, the standards for Provincial/Territorial Youth Licence 2, Provincial Territorial Youth Licence 1 will be finalized and shared publicly and applications for the Licences will then begin.

The Quality Soccer Provider license standards will be finalized in 2018 for implementation in 2019.  

If you have further questions, please contact Gabriel Assis.