CANADA SOCCER NATION 2018 ANNUAL REPORT CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
CANADASOCCER.COM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT STEVEN REED AND GENERAL SECRETARY PETER MONTOPOLI.................................................................. 4 WELCOME TO CANADA SOCCER NATION 2019-2021 STRATEGIC PLAN......................................................................................................... 6 TOP CANADA SOCCER MOMENT OF 2018.......................................................................................................................................................8 NATIONAL TEAMS
MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM.................................................................................................................................................................... 10
WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM............................................................................................................................................................... 12
MEN’S NATIONAL YOUTH TEAMS...................................................................................................................................................... 14
WOMEN’S NATIONAL YOUTH TEAMS................................................................................................................................................. 16
FUTSAL............................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
PARA SOCCER................................................................................................................................................................................... 19
DEVELOP
DEVELOPMENT................................................................................................................................................................................. 20
COACHING........................................................................................................................................................................................ 22 REFEREES........................................................................................................................................................................................ 24 GROW
CANADA SOCCER FUTSAL CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP.................................................................................................................... 26
CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP.............................................................................................................................................................. 27
CANADA SOCCER TOYOTA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS................................................................................................................... 28
ACTIVE START SOCCER FESTS.......................................................................................................................................................... 30
PROFESSIONAL SOCCER AROUND THE WORLD............................................................................................................................... 32
GOVERN
AWARDS, RECOGNITION & THE CANADA SOCCER HALL OF FAME....................................................................................................34
DEMOGRAPHICS............................................................................................................................................................................... 36
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS.................................................................................................................................................... 38
FINANCIALS...................................................................................................................................................................................... 42 DIRECTORY....................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT STEVEN REED AND GENERAL SECRETARY PETER MONTOPOLI
Winning the hosting rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ along with the Mexican Football Federation and U.S.Soccer was a major milestone for Canada Soccer and is one of the most significant accomplishments in the 107-year history of our organization. Canada’s involvement in the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ enhances our ability to govern the game by strengthening our relationships with all stakeholders including FIFA, Concacaf and our member associations. With all levels of government and an increasing number of sponsors – including global leader Nike – coming on board, it’s clear that this will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ will amplify everything we do. We now have the opportunity to build a legacy runway program for men’s soccer in our country like we did when we hosted the record-setting FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™. This is something we’ve been working on for many years and it gives us the impetus to reach out and grab that North Star like never before. Men’s National Team Head Coach John Herdman has already begun the work of building an infrastructure, identifying talented youth players, and strengthening relationships across the country. He is determined to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™ as part of the road map for 2026. Meanwhile, Women’s National Team Head Coach Kenneth Heiner-Møller will lead Canada to the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ after a successful 2018 and build on the strength of our fullyaligned Regional Excel Centres that continue to develop world-class youth talent that has added depth to our Women’s National Team. The launch in 2019 of the Canadian Premier League – of which Canada Soccer is a proud partner – will offer greater opportunities for players, administrators, coaches and officials as we look towards 2026. It will also add more depth with the goal of developing more players available for selection to the Men’s National Team Program. Events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ are an opportunity to enhance our game so that we achieve world-class performances across the board. It will be really exciting to see what we can achieve with all of our teams, from youth to senior.
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The success of the United Bid has built on the momentum of the sport in our country that is a result of Canada Soccer establishing itself as a Leading Soccer Nation. The announcement of Nike as the official footwear, apparel and equipment supplier for Canada Soccer and its Men’s and Women’s National Teams was a clear indication that we are Canada Soccer Nation and recognized along with our sister associations in countries like Brazil, USA, England, and France, within the top tier of the soccer world. We have elevated ourselves globally and that’s the position we want to occupy in our country. In the past, we would talk about our relevance in the sport community but we are beyond that now as the level of excitement is different, as is the media coverage dedicated to our sport from coast to coast and beyond our borders. Canada Soccer is on the world stage and we are showing Canadians that soccer can be the preeminent sport in this country. Hosting the world’s largest sporting event on Canadian soil will also inspire even more people to join Canada Soccer Nation. Growth, of course, is an important pillar of our Canada Soccer Nation 2019-2021 Strategic Plan. Whenever we host an event, there’s an increase in registrations with almost half of our membership now female, thanks in part to the legacy of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ – and that’s unprecedented in the world of football. Canada Soccer’s increased investment in coach education and the National Database will provide the necessary foundation to welcome and support the demand created by our sport’s everincreasing popularity. There’s no question that 2018 was a seminal year for Canada Soccer. But the successes of 2018 do not just live in 2018. They live for the future.
Steven Reed, President
Peter Montopoli, General Secretary
PETER
STEVEN
General Secretary
President
MONTOPOLI
REED
CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
EL RN
Key accomplishments from the most recent 2014-2018 Strategic Plan – Leading A Soccer Nation include hosting the record-setting FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ and securing the rights to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™. Canada Soccer has instilled strong technical leadership across the Men’s and Women’s National Teams, notably with fully-integrated and aligned Development and National Teams programming operating at a world-class level.
DE V
The Canada Soccer Nation 2019-2021 Strategic Plan will align the nation’s soccer resources to strive for best-ever performances at all major international competitions, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™, the 2020 Olympic Summer Games, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ Qualifiers.
GO VE
Canada Soccer’s 2019-2021 Strategic Plan, introduced in February 2019, will continue to build on our domestic and international achievements with a focus on the once-ina-generation opportunity to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™. The Canada Soccer Nation 2019-2021 Strategic Plan outlines the organization’s three key priorities: to DEVELOP, GOVERN, and GROW the game in Canada.
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WELCOME TO CANADA SOCCER NATION 2019-2021 STRATEGIC PLAN
GR
OW
The Canada Soccer Nation 2019-2021 Strategic Plan will guide our efforts to DEVELOP, GOVERN and GROW our sport to ensure all who participate will benefit from the anticipation, excitement, and investment as we embark on the journey to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™
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CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
TOP CANADA SOCCER MOMENT OF 2018
Fans from across Canada had the opportunity to vote for the top Canada Soccer Moment of 2018 during Canada Soccer’s annual Moments campaign, which took place over the holiday season. The successful United 2026 Bid, in which Canada, Mexico, and the United States won the right to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, was chosen by fans from coast to coast to coast. The winning bid was focused on unity, certainty and opportunity and announced 13 June at the FIFA Congress ahead of the kickoff of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. It marked the first time three nations have been selected to co-host a FIFA World Cup™ and the first time the FIFA World Cup™ will be played in North America in 32 years. With the FIFA Congress decision to award the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ to the football federations of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, the three nations will jointly manage preparations until FIFA establishes their operations to manage the competition. Among other decisions, FIFA will make the final selection of host cities for the 2026 competition from the 23 candidates proposed in the United Bid. Each of the United Bid’s 23 proposed stadiums are fully built, occupied, and operational, ensuring long-term use following the 2026 FIFA World Cup™. In addition, the United Bid has 150 existing world-class training facilities, millions of hotel rooms, and advanced infrastructure. The Bid is expected to generate $5 billion in economic impact for the 16 Host Cities that will be selected. Overall, the United Bid is expected to generate more than $14 billion in revenue and $11 billion in profits for FIFA, which will be shared with the 211 FIFA Member Associations, helping further develop and expand the game of football across the globe.
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CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
NATIONAL TEAMS - MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM
Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team posted a perfect record of four wins and four clean sheets for the first time in program history in 2018, with three of those wins in Concacaf Nations League Qualifying. Canada set several benchmarks over the course of the year, including the Men’s National Team record for most goals in a single match (an away 8:0 win over US Virgin Islands) and the record for the largest margin of victory for a home match (a 5:0 win over Dominica). Canada started the year with a 1:0 win over New Zealand, with John Herdman taking the reigns as the new Men’s National Team Head Coach. Canada ended the year with their first-ever victory in St. Kitts and Nevis, an important 1:0 win that moved them within a point of qualifying for the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup. Over the course of the year, Canada scored 15 goals in four matches for the Men’s National Team’s highest goals-per-match average in program history (3.75 goals per match). Of the 39 players who were part of Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team in 2018, there were 11 rookies, eight of whom made their international “A” debuts. For the first time, Canada started three teenagers in three consecutive competitive matches. At home in October against Dominica, Canada featured six teenagers, including three who were making their first appearance with the team. Teenager Jonathan David was Canada’s scoring leader with three goals and two assists, while Lucas Cavallini and Cyle Larin also scored three goals each. David was the youngest player to score in his Canada debut and just the fifth player to score twice in his debut. Teenager Alphonso Davies, the Canadian Player of the Year, led Canada with four assists.
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CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
NATIONAL TEAMS - WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM
Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team qualified for their seventh-consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup™ with a 7:0 win over Panama on 14 October 2018. Christine Sinclair, the team’s captain and the 2018 Canadian Player of the Year, scored two goals, including the winner, as Canada confirmed their place for France 2019. Across 12 matches under newly-appointed Women’s National Team Head Coach Kenneth Heiner-Møller, Canada posted eight wins and finished second at the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship. Since 1991, Canada have finished first or second at all seven editions of the Concacaf Women’s Championship. Two players – Jessie Fleming and Rebecca Quinn – were named to the Concacaf Women’s Championship All-Star Team. Sinclair led Canada in scoring for the 15th time in 19 years, while Ashley Lawrence led Canada in minutes played for the first time. With eight goals scored by the end of 2018, Sinclair moved to within seven of tying the all-time international record for goals scored. At home in 2018, Canada fell 2:3 to defending Olympic champions Germany in front of 22,826 fans in Hamilton, ON and then won 1:0 over Brazil in front of 16,128 fans in Ottawa. Away from home, Canada posted an impressive 2:0 victory over former FIFA Women’s World Cup™ champions Japan at the Algarve Cup in Portugal.
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CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
NATIONAL TEAMS - MEN’S NATIONAL YOUTH TEAMS
Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Youth Teams featured in two international competitions in 2018: the Festival International Espoirs Provence and the Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Championship. In all, 31 different players competed in the two competitions, including eight who had call-ups to the Men’s National Team in 2018. Canada Soccer’s Men’s EXCEL Program channels our nation’s exceptional players into the best soccer environments. The Canada Soccer Pathway works in collaboration with our provincial and territorial partners as well as the professional clubs and academies. For Canada’s elite players, the program emphasizes player development on the pathway to representing Canada’s Men’s National Team in international soccer. Undefeated in the group stage against Portugal (0:0), Turkey (1:0), and Japan (1:1), Canada finished in sixth place after falling 1:2 to the hosts France at the prestigious Festival International Espoirs Provence, also known as the Toulon Tournament, for U-21 aged players. Canada turned a lot of heads with their performances across the four matches. Canada’s U-20 team finished in second place in Group D at the Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Championship, ranking 12th overall among 34 competing nations. With three wins and two losses, Canada did not qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019, with a decisive 1:2 loss to Panama midway through the round-robin phase.
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CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
NATIONAL TEAMS - WOMEN’S NATIONAL YOUTH TEAMS
Canada’s fourth-place finish at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018 was the highlight of Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Youth Teams’ international season. Across four tournaments in three age groups, Canada posted 12 wins, one draw and seven losses in 20 competitive international youth matches. Canada Soccer’s Women’s EXCEL Program brings together the best with the best at the national youth level from the U-14 to U-20 age groups. The program delivers an aligned talent structure that progresses players from the youth levels to the Women’s National Team. Across Concacaf, FIFA and other youth competitions, players develop through the Women’s EXCEL Program Playing Model and benefit from invaluable tournament experience. Canada finished fourth at the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship, third at the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship, and fifth at the Concacaf Girls’ Under-15 Championship. Canada then finished fourth at Uruguay 2018, which represents Canada Soccer’s highest finish in a FIFA youth competition since 2002. At the U-17 level, Canada are one of only three nations, along with Japan and Korea DPR, to have finished top-10 in all six editions of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup since 2008.
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CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
NATIONAL TEAMS - FUTSAL
After coming within one match of qualification for the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup, Canada Soccer’s Futsal National Team is once again preparing for a qualification run via the 2020 Concacaf Futsal Championship. Head Coach Kyt Selaidopoulos’s squad battled regional powerhouse Costa Rica in a two-match friendly series from 18-20 January in San José, CRC. The team fared admirably in a 4:5 opening match loss that saw many veterans from the 2016 run return to the squad. The second match ended 0:5 as Canada returned home with a vision for what was required against the top teams in Concacaf. With a growing futsal player pool of more than 150 players across the country as well as key coaches and leaders in each province and territory who support and work for the development of the sport, Canada Soccer set out to host regional ID camps in each province and territory ahead of the 2020 qualifiers. Principally, the team hosted a four-day National Camp in Gatineau, QC in September as a midway point on their path to qualify for the 2020 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Lithuania.
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NATIONAL TEAMS - PARA SOCCER
Canada Soccer’s National Para Soccer Team posted an international record of three wins, one draw and three losses in 2018, with goalkeeper Damien Wojtiw earning the Copa América Golden Glove Award as well as his first Canadian Player of the Year award. Wojtiw also became Canada’s all-time international leader with six clean sheets. Canada’s international record since 2005 under Head Coach Drew Ferguson improved to 40 wins, eight draws, and 15 losses in 63 matches. Through their world ranking, Canada qualified for the IFCPF World Cup Sevilla 2019 in Spain. At the Copa América, Canada performed well with a young team, posting two wins, two losses, and a draw across five matches. Half of Canada’s lineup were aged 21 or younger, including 17-year old Diego Gilbert who scored his first two international goals. All-time goalscoring leader Samuel Charron, still only 21, scored his 37th career goal in 43 international matches.
CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
DEVELOP - DEVELOPMENT
Canada Soccer Club Licensing Program
Use of Technology
»» Through consultation and collaboration with our provincial and territorial partners, the Canada Soccer Club Licensing Program was created to support organizations delivering soccer programs at all levels of the game in Canada. Four distinct levels of standards exist, from the entry-level Standards for Quality Soccer through to the National Youth Club Licence, so that all organizations in Canada can be included at the appropriate level.
»» The Development Department implemented the use of video technology for all licensing evaluations in 2018. The removal of evaluations from the in-person component for all licensing workshops has improved the learning environment for all coaches and provided them with the opportunity to work with their own players when submitting their evaluations.
»» In July 2018, the National Youth Club Licence was launched, with 46 organizations in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario applying for the Licence.
Staff Structure »» The Development Department welcomed two new staff members in 2018, with Stuart Neely joining the team as the Manager of Coach Education and Jim Loughlin taking on the role of Master Coach Developer. »» Canada Soccer would like to recognize the work of Sylvie Béliveau, who moved on in 2018 to take a new opportunity leading a women’s sport development initiative at McGill University in Montréal. Sylvie has been a stalwart in the development of the game in Canada and remains a key member of the Canadian soccer family.
External Partnerships »» In 2018, the Development Department formed working relationships with several Canadian universities to help the Department develop and deliver evidencebased content on our coach education program. These relationships include the Transformational Coaching Workshop, which was developed by Dr. Jean Côté and Dr. Jennifer Turnnidge at Queen’s University in Kingston, ON.
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»» Google Classroom has been implemented as the communication platform for all coach education workshops. The platform allows instructors and candidates to communicate securely before, during and after a workshop and provides instructors with a means to assign, track and evaluate the various tasks associated with each workshop.
CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
DEVELOP - COACHING
Coach Education »» In July and August 2018, the Canada Soccer Children’s Licence was successfully piloted in Richmond Hill, ON, with 24 coaches from across Ontario participating in the pilot workshop. In 2019, the Children’s Licence is rolling out across the country, with nine workshops being offered.
B Licence – Part 1 Alignment with the NCCP »» The B Licence – Part 1 is in the final stages of approval by the NCCP, which further strengthens Canada Soccer’s relationship with the Coaching Association of Canada. Work has begun to align the Children’s and Youth Licences with the NCCP.
A Licence Expansion
Respect in Sport
»» Over 100 candidates participated in the A Licence program in 2018. This is a fourfold increase over any other year on record. In 2018, the A Licence was delivered in French for the first time by Canada Soccer.
»» Canada Soccer signed an agreement to introduce the Respect in Sport Activity Leader program to all Canada Soccer licensing workshops in 2018. The 2.5-hour online workshop provides coaches with the tools they need to deal with challenging situations that may arise, including how to prevent bullying, abuse, harassment, and discrimination.
»» Four B Licence – National workshops were delivered across the country in 2018, with British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Québec all hosting workshops. The Québec workshop marked the first time Canada Soccer has delivered the B Licence – National in French.
Coach Mentorship Program »» In 2018, Canada Soccer introduced a Coach Mentorship Program designed to provide coaches with extenuating circumstances the opportunity to complete their A Licence or B Licence – National via 1-to-1 mentorship. The Coach Mentorship Program is a flexible, online program that guides the candidate through the respective licence content on a schedule that suits the candidate’s circumstances.
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CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
DEVELOP - REFEREES
Referee Development
International Appointment Highlights
»» The 2019 launch of the Canadian Premier League spurred on referee development throughout Canada in 2018. Canada Soccer’s referee department was actively engaged with all our provincial and territorial member associations to develop aspiring officials and create pathways for progress to elite refereeing. All provincial and territorial member associations, in concert with Canada Soccer, conducted education programs for developing and elite referees, instructors, and assessors.
»» Internationally, Canada Soccer’s referees excelled. Of special note was Joe Fletcher (ON), who attended his second consecutive FIFA World Cup™ in Russia and officiated three games on the field plus numerous appointments in the VAR booth.
FIFA Futuro III »» Eight Canada Soccer instructors attended the FIFA Futuro III instructors’ course in Costa Rica and returned with the most current educational material and methodologies, which were delivered to the provinces via a clinic in late 2018.
NextGen Program »» Canada Soccer launched the NextGen program in 2018. Ten referees from eight provincial associations were selected as national program candidates and received specialized coaching and training. From this group, five attended the Canada Soccer Toyota National Championships at the senior level, with one going on to join the 2019 National List of referees.
Concacaf Program of Referee Excellence »» Filip Dujic (ON) and Carly Shaw-Maclaren (BC) were selected for the Concacaf Program of Referee Excellence. They successfully completed two threeweek courses and finished at the top of the program.
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»» Carol Anne Chénard (ON), Marie-Soleil Beaudoin (NS), and Chantal Boudreau (ON) continued their journey to the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™. Chénard and Boudreau were appointed to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018 and Beaudoin to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018. Chénard and Boudreau officiated two games, including a Quarter-Final, and Beaudoin refereed three games, including the Final. As a reward for their hard work and excellence, all three were selected for France 2019.
CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
GROW - CANADA SOCCER FUTSAL CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Ontario’s Toronto Idolo Futsal defeated Québec’s Sporting Montréal FC 6:1 to earn their first Canada Soccer Futsal Canadian Championship title on 22 April 2018 at Queen’s University in Kingston, ON. Last year’s silver medalists, Saskatoon Olimpia SK FC won the bronze medal after a 5:2 victory over Québec’s Sporting Québec FC. Two provinces and two territories participated in their first Canada Soccer Futsal Canadian Championship as the competition more than doubled, growing from three teams in 2017 to eight teams in 2018. Rankin FC were Nunavut’s first team in any Canada Soccer national competition. Launched in 2015, the Canada Soccer Futsal Canadian Championship is Canada’s top futsal championship. The previous winners were Futsal Club Toronto in 2015, Toronto United Futsal in 2016, and Montréal Sporting Outlaws FC in 2017.
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GROW - CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Toronto FC won their seventh Canadian Championship title in 2018 after defeating Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the final. Toronto FC won the two-leg final 7-4 on aggregate, including a 5:2 victory in the second leg on 15 August at BMO Field in Toronto. With the victory, Toronto FC lifted the Voyageurs Cup and qualified for Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League. Canadian Jonathan Osorio won the George Gross Memorial Trophy as the tournament’s most valuable player and was the Top Scorer with three goals and one assist. This marked the third year in a row that Toronto FC won the Canadian Championship. Also in 2018, Toronto FC reached the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Final, only falling to Chivas Guadalajara after the two-leg final on kicks from the penalty mark. The expanded 2018 Canadian Championship provided more opportunities than ever before for Canadian players. Over the 10 matches, there were a record 74 Canadian players across the six teams, more than twice as many as took part last year. Looking ahead to 2019, the Canadian Championship will be further expanded, with 13 teams competing in 24 matches in what will be the 12th edition of the tournament.
CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
GROW - CANADA SOCCER TOYOTA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Canada Soccer Toyota National Championships wrapped up 13 months of competition in which more than 12,000 players, coaches and administrators from 640 teams set their sights on a national title. From the 66 teams that reached the final stage in October, six champions were crowned in three cities on Teck Finals Day over Thanksgiving weekend: the adult amateur champions in Saskatoon, SK; the U-17 Cup champions in Surrey, BC; and the U-15 Cup champions in Laval, QC. The Canada Soccer Toyota National Championships once again delivered huge digital audience numbers in 2018. This year, Canada Soccer’s website attracted nearly 700,000 page views during the six-day coverage from 3-8 October, with more than 120,000 page views on Sunday 7 October alone as the Jubilee Trophy Final was played and Teck Finals Day matchups were determined. For the third year in a row, matches were streamed live at CanadaSoccer.com every day of the Canada Soccer Toyota National Championships. A record 96 matches were streamed – including all championship finals over the Thanksgiving weekend – with two fields from each of the three venues featured. The streams drew more than 40,000 unique viewers across the three competitions. As a truly coast-to-coast-to-coast competition, visits to CanadaSoccer.com/Nationals were geographically dispersed evenly across the country, with Toronto, ON, Montréal, QC, Calgary, AB, Vancouver, BC, Saskatoon, SK, Edmonton, AB, and Ottawa, ON all accounting for significant traffic to the site.
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Challenge Trophy
U-17 Cup Boys
U-15 Cup Boys
»» Surrey BC Tigers Hurricanes defeated Ontario’s Caledon SC 7:3 on Teck Finals Day to win their first Challenge Trophy. Nick Soolsma was named Most Valuable Player as well as the Golden Boot winner.
»» Coquitlam Metro-Ford SC of British Columbia won the U-17 Cup Boys title after beating CS Saint-Laurent of Québec 2:1 on Teck Finals Day. Vaughan SC of Ontario won the bronze medal. Suburban FC’s Liam Kelly, who scored seven goals in five games, was the Top Scorer.
»» Woodbridge Strikers of Ontario won 2:1 over the Panellinios Montréal FC of Québec to win the U-15 Cup Boys title. Edmonton Warriors SC of Alberta won the bronze medal. With his hat trick in the bronze medal match, Edmonton Warriors SC’s Joshua Mercer finished as the Top Scorer with six goals in five matches.
Jubilee Trophy
U-17 Cup Girls
U-15 Cup Girls
»» Scarborough GS United topped Surrey United 1:0 to win the Jubilee Trophy on Teck Finals Day. Laura Callender scored the winner in the first half of extra time while Danielle Blair was named MVP of the tournament.
»» Coastal FC of British Columbia won the U-17 Cup Girls title after beating Lakeshore SC of Québec 2:1. Burlington Bayhawks of Ontario won the bronze medal. Latifah Abdu of Lakeshore was the Top Scorer with 12 goals in five games.
»» Mountain United of British Columbia won the U-15 Cup Girls title after defeating Lakeshore SC of Québec 2:1. Calgary South West United SA of Alberta won the bronze medal. Lakeshore SC’s Magali Gagné won Top Scorer honours with eight goals in five matches.
»» Hosts Saskatoon Revolution finished third after beating Holy Cross FC of St. John’s on kicks from the penalty mark.
»» Québec’s Royal-Sélect Beauport earned the bronze medal after defeating Holy Cross FC 6:1. Beauport’s Karyna Fiset won the tournament’s Top Scorer.
CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
GROW - ACTIVE START SOCCER FESTS
Canada’s largest grassroots program – Active Start Soccer Fests – wrapped up its 22nd season with 138 community soccer clubs hosting fun-filled festivals in every province and territory from coast to coast to coast. The program connected nearly 100,000 Active Start participants under the age of 12 and over 205,000 total on-site attendees and since its inception has directly contributed over one million dollars to clubs across the country.
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As Canada’s leading grassroots soccer program, Active Start Soccer Fests deliver financial, promotional and technical resources that contribute to the hosting of community soccer celebrations in collaboration with community soccer clubs. Canada Soccer recognizes and thanks the program’s community soccer club partners who contribute significant time and energy to create the best possible experience, encouraging lifelong participation in the beautiful game.
The 2018 festival season had national program partners Toyota, Allstate, and Teck contribute to the positive participant experience by activating at more than 75 festivals combined. Highlights included the opportunity to participate in national contests such as the Allstate ‘Win A Trip’ contest and sharpshooting competition, as well as Toyota’s interactive vehicle displays. Festival participants enjoyed giveaways from Canada Soccer and its partners, which included Canada Soccer string bags, temporary tattoos and participation certificates.
CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
GROW - PROFESSIONAL SOCCER AROUND THE WORLD
Our Canadian players continue to make their mark on the world stage, with men’s and women’s footballers winning titles abroad and several young players pushing their way up through the youth system of some of the world’s biggest organizations. In July 2018, Alphonso Davies was transferred from Canada’s Vancouver Whitecaps FC to Germany’s FC Bayern Munich for an MLS-record transfer fee that could total more than US$22-million (CAD$29 million). Davies completed the 2018 season with the Whitecaps before making the move shortly after his 18th birthday. Along with Davies, other young Men’s National Team players developing through the ranks in Europe were Zachary Brault-Guillard at Olympique Lyonnais in France, Alessandro Busti at Juventus in Italy, Jonathan David at KAA Gent in Belgium, Liam Millar at Liverpool FC in England, and Ballou Tabla at FC Barcelona in Spain. In women’s football, Kadeisha Buchanan helped FCF Olympique Lyonnais win their second consecutive UEFA Champions League title. Buchanan is the first and only Canadian to win the confederation club championship. In France, Buchanan and her club won the 2017-18 Championnat de France, while Ashley Lawrence and Paris Saint-Germain won the 2018 Coupe de France. In the United States, Sabrina D’Angelo helped NC Courage win their second straight NWSL Shield and their first NWSL Championship. D’Angelo posted a clean sheet in the semi-final match. Forward Christine Sinclair scored nine goals and helped Portland Thorns FC reach the Championship final before they lost to NC Courage. On the men’s side in Europe, goalkeeper Milan Borjan led Red Star Belgrade to the 2017-18 Serbian SuperLiga title and qualified for 2018-19 UEFA Champions League. In July, he set the Canadian record for clean sheets across UEFA club competitions, surpassing the previous mark held by Lars Hirschfeld.
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From the start of the calendar year, Atiba Hutchinson captained Besiktas JK through the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League Round of 16. Hutchinson was just the third Canadian to reach the Round of 16 for Europe’s top club competition, following in the steps of Tomasz Radzinski and Paul Stalteri. Also in Europe, Scott Arfield helped Rangers FC qualify for the 2017-18 UEFA Europa League while Junior Hoilett won Premier League side Cardiff City FC’s 2017-18 Players’ Player Award. In North America, several Canadians were at the heart of Toronto FC’s run to the 2018 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Final, most notably Jonathan Osorio, who won the competition’s Golden Boot Award as top scorer. Ashtone Morgan, who scored once during Toronto FC’s run to the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League final, became the first four-time winner of the Canadian Championship since the competition was introduced in 2008.
Canadian Premier League In May 2018 at the Annual Meeting of the Members, teams in Vancouver Island, Calgary, York (Toronto), and Halifax were accepted as Professional Club Members, thus growing the total number across Canada to 11 professional clubs across three different leagues (Major League Soccer, United Soccer League, Canadian Premier League). Previously in 2017, the Canadian Premier League officially became a League in Membership of Canada Soccer, while teams in Hamilton and in Winnipeg were accepted as Professional Club Members. NWSL club-by-club 2018 allocations:
In 2018, the Canadian Premier League unveiled the league’s emblem, visual identity, and brand positioning all ahead of the 2019 inaugural season. The seven CPL teams were also introduced, with Pacific FC, Cavalry FC, FC Edmonton, Valour FC, Forge FC, York9 FC, and HFX Wanderers unveiled as the original clubs in the newly-established domestic men’s soccer league.
*Newly allocated players in 2018
CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
GOVERN - AWARDS & RECOGNITION
2018 CANADIAN PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
RAY MORGAN MEMORIAL AWARD
The Canadian Players of the Year award celebrates Canada’s top two footballers in recognition of their achievements with both the National Teams and their respective clubs. The two winners are recognized as co-winners of the award. Voting is conducted by Canadian coaches and media.
CANADA SOCCER AWARD OF MERIT
Christine Sinclair & Alphonso Davies
Christine Sinclair’s successful season was highlighted by scoring the winning goal that qualified Canada for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™. Alphonso Davies enjoyed a standout season with Canada’s Men’s National Team, was the top player for Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and joined Bayern Munich on a MLS-record transfer deal.
2018 CANADIAN YOUTH INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR Derek Cornelius & Jordyn Huitema
CANADIAN PARA SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR Damien Wojtiw
CANADIAN FUTSAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR Jacob Orellana
CANADA SOCCER PRESIDENT’S AWARD Norm Odinga
AUBREY SANFORD MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD Bob Sawtell
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Dave Gantar
Michael Doyle Vivian Hansen Roger Vail
CANADA SOCCER LIFE MEMBERSHIP Angus Barrett
CANADA SOCCER HALL OF FAME Candace Chapman Tomasz Radzinski
The Canada Soccer Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018 honoured former National Team standouts Candace Chapman and Tomasz Radzinski. The two retired stars were honoured at home international soccer matches in June and October, respectively. Chapman was a Concacaf champion and Olympic Games bronze medalist as well as a two-time Women’s Professional Soccer Championship winner. Radzinski was a former Canadian Player of the Year who was also a two-time Belgium Championship winner as well as the first Canadian to reach the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League.
CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
GOVERN - DEMOGRAPHICS
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CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
GOVERN - MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Canadian National Team Home Matches Canada continued its strong record of home performances in 2018, posting a record of two wins and one loss across the three matches, with the only loss coming in a tightlycontested match against the reigning Women’s Olympic champions Germany, ranked number two in FIFA World Rankings. Canada Soccer’s three home National Team matches drew a total attendance of 49,477, an average of 16,492 per match. »» The Canada v. Germany Women’s International played on 10 June at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, ON, drew a capacity attendance of 22,826. »» Canada’s Men’s National Team made its debut in the new Concacaf Nations League Qualifying competition in 2018 and hosted its first match in the competition on 16 October, defeating Dominica 4:0 in front of 10,523 fans at Toronto’s BMO Field. This marked the highest recorded attendance of Concacaf Nations League Qualifiers in 2018. »» The three Canada Soccer controlled National Team broadcasts on TSN and RDS generated a per-match average audience viewership of 45,700, peaking with the 62,100 viewers who tuned in for the Canada v. Dominica Concacaf Nations League Qualifier at BMO Field in Toronto.
TOTAL HOME MATCH ATTENDANCE
49,477
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Canadian Championship
Canada Soccer Toyota National Championships
Total stadium attendance for the 10 matches of the 2018 Canadian Championship was 97,826, highlighted by an average of 14,899 for the six semi-final and final round matches. Canadian Championship broadcast viewership reached 341,858 across the competition, including an audience of 148,000 for the second leg of the Final featuring Toronto FC hosting Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
The Canada Soccer Toyota National Championships continued to grow in 2018 as the competition marked its second year with Toyota in the title sponsor position. A continued emphasis on a positive experience for players, staff and fans alike was highlighted by increased social and digital engagement across the competition’s channels. A record 96 matches were streamed live on CanadaSoccer.com from the three competition venues, generating more than 40,000 unique viewers across Canada and around the world. An expanded, centralized national merchandise program, which offered Local Organizing Committees a variety of service models designed to maximize revenue, delivered royalties of nearly $20,000 across the three venues. As part of the hosting model, 100% of all royalties generated by the program were delivered back to the host communities.
CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
GOVERN - MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Sponsorship Canada Soccer introduced Nike, the world’s leading sportswear company, as its official apparel, equipment and footwear supplier in December 2018. This watershed partnership is a culmination of incredible growth for the sport in Canada, both on and off the pitch. The partnership will see Nike provide Canada Soccer’s National Team kits and all on and off-field apparel for Canada Soccer programs moving forward. Continued collaboration with Nike will fuel the anticipation and excitement for the sport as Canada prepares to welcome the world to the 2026 FIFA World Cup™. In its second year as Canada Soccer’s Official Vehicle and Official Mobility Partner, Toyota Canada delivered on its commitment to encourage and enable more Canadians to experience the joy and excitement of participation in sport. Through its support of Canada Soccer’s National Teams and as title partner for the Canada Soccer Toyota National Championships, Toyota connected with fans of the beautiful game from coast to coast to coast. Toyota’s flagship ‘MVP Soccer Contest,’ which provided winners with an once-in-alifetime experience at the Canada v. Brazil Women’s National Team match at TD Place in Ottawa was a highlight for the company in 2018. In addition, Toyota’s presence at the Canada Soccer Toyota National Championships and Active Start Soccer Fests across the country served to enhance the participant experience at all levels of the game. Allstate Canada continued to build on the tremendous success of its Canada Soccer partnership by expanding and evolving its soccer-focused activities in 2018. The highlight of the past year was the hosting of the inaugural ‘Allstate Soccer Show’ which took place in Toronto in late August. Featuring an incredible roster of Canada Soccer National Team current and
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2018 PRIMARY PARTNERS
former players as well as staff, the successful event laid the groundwork for continued growth in future years. In addition, the wildly popular Allstate High Performance Soccer Clinics were hosted in four Canadian Markets (Edmonton, AB, Burlington, ON, Halifax, NS, and Montréal, QC) featuring Canadian National Team players at each stop. As well, the Allstate Good Hands Award again recognized the top save by a Canadian National Team goalkeeper in international play, with youngster James Pantemis receiving the most votes from Canadian soccer fans. Mondelez’s now iconic soccer campaign ‘Pass the Love’ evolved in 2018 as 137 unique team nominations came in from community soccer clubs across Canada, representing all ten provinces, as well as Yukon and the Northwest Territories. More than $100,000 in direct funding was again distributed through the program to community soccer clubs in Canada, with one club in each province receiving $5,000 and a second club receiving $4,000. Long-time Canada Soccer partner Teck once again demonstrated its support for the sport of soccer with a focus on communities where it has operations, through the distribution of valuable resources as part of the Teck Community Soccer Initiative. In 2018, the Initiative provided four deserving community soccer clubs in British Columbia with grants to support the enhancement of soccer programming through the fulfillment of financial needs as identified by local community clubs and their membership. As part of its support of the Toyota National Championships, Teck Finals Day, continues to be a highlight of the competition, featuring unique activations and visits from Canada Soccer National Team current and former players. In addition, Teck continued its Local Sponsorship program, directly supporting more than 20 teams.
2018 SECONDARY PARTNERS
2018 ASSOCIATE PARTNERS
2018 SUPPLIERS
2018 FUNDING SUPPORT
2018 CHARITABLE LEGACY PARTNER
Canada Soccer on Digital Media
91M SOCIAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS IN 2018
With a total of 91 million social media impressions and 375,630 followers, Canada Soccer’s social media channels experienced steady growth in 2018. Overall, total social media following was up 14 per cent with more than 46,000 new followers across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. CanadaSoccer.com also continued to draw record audiences. During the 2018 Canada Soccer Toyota National Championships, CanadaSoccer.com saw an average of more than 100,000 page views per day. For the year, the site drew more than 800,000 unique visitors. June 13 was a historic day for Canada Soccer as FIFA announced that the United Bid of Canada, Mexico and the United States had earned the right to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™. Canada Soccer’s Facebook page saw tremendous engagement with reach of more than 300,000 on the post announcing the news.
CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
GOVERN - FINANCIALS
As reflected in our 2014 – 2018 Strategic Plan – Leading a Soccer Nation, Canada Soccer is committed to Investing in Technical Leadership; Ensuring Consistent World-Class Performances by our National Teams; Encouraging and Overseeing the Growth of the Game; and Governing the Game in Canada Professionally in Collaboration with our Partners. By creating financial sustainability, the strength of our overall fiscal position has allowed us to pursue our four strategic priorities and achieve our goal of becoming a Leading Soccer Nation. »» Canada Soccer, united with our neighbors, Mexico and the United States, successfully secured the right to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ - the largest single sporting event in the world and the only FIFA competition which Canada had not previously hosted. The investment in the United 2026 bid will have both immediate and long-term benefits across all Canada Soccer programs and for the sport in our country. »» Development continues to be a focus for Canada Soccer with a 113% increase in funds through the investment of FIFA and Concacaf in direct programming support. This increase in funding represents the highest level secured by the organization that will wholly benefit players, coaches and officials through expanded program opportunities for years to come.
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»» Strong government support, including our partnerships with Sport Canada through its Own the Podium (OTP) program and the Public Health Agency of Canada, was sustained from 2017 and allowed Canada Soccer to extend the regional reach of our Women’s National Team Program as well as the Soccer Injury Prevention program. »» Funding for Canada’s Technical Programs was up 4% with a focus on the development of the next generation of Canada’s coaches who will impact youth players from coast to coast and ultimately the high performance pathway as our National Teams take to the pitch at the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ and the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™ Qualifiers. »» Success both on and off the pitch has established Canada Soccer as a Leading Soccer Nation and as we embark on our Canada Soccer Nation 20192021 Strategic Plan, we will focus our efforts to DEVELOP, GOVERN, and GROW our sport to ensure all who participate will benefit from the anticipation, excitement and investment as we embark on the journey to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™
CANADA SOCCER NATION - 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
DIRECTORY BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Steven Reed
Finance Department Sean Heffernan Chief Financial Officer
Francine Mérette
Vice-President Nick Bontis
Finance Manager
Directors Paul-Claude Bérubé Brian Burden Charmaine Crooks Charlie Cuzzetto Ryan Fequet Gerald MacDonald Penny Marrett Bernie Morton Leanne Nicolle John Pugh Robert Richardson Don Story
Dalia Armada
STAFF General Secretariat Peter Montopoli General Secretary
Earl Cochrane Lisa Spina
Executive Assistant
Soccer Administration Department Joe Guest Deputy General Secretary
Jessie Daly
Senior Events Manager
Cathy Breda
Administration Manager
Dorothy Hickey
Competitions Manager
Daniel Pazuk
Systems Coordinator / Registrar
Allie Pike
Events Coordinator
Natalia Vorontsova Accounts Payable
National Teams John Herdman
Men’s National Team Head Coach / Men’s National EXCEL Director
Mauro Biello
Men’s National Team Assistant Coach / Men’s EXCEL U-18 to U-23 Program Director
Andrew Olivieri
Accounts Receivable/Accounting Clerk
Men’s EXCEL U-14 to U-17 Program Director
Marketing and Communications Department Sandra Gage
Men’s Regional EXCEL Director
Dominic Martin
Yannick Girard
Richard Scott
Daniel Michelucci
Carrie Croft
Jan Lang
Brad Fougere
Drew Ferguson
Vanessa Racine
Kyt Selaidopoulos
Kaitlin Tulle
Mike Moretto
Stephanie Matthews
Ryan Bedic
Chief Marketing Officer Director, Marketing
Director, Communications Manager, Public Relations Digital & Corporate Communications Manager Content Manager
Brand & Ticketing Manager Partnerships Coordinator
John Bruce
Joey Lombardi Eric Tenllado
Men’s EXCEL Development Coach Men’s National Team Physical Performance Coach Men’s EXCEL Operations Manager Men’s EXCEL Program Coordinator Men’s National Para Soccer Team Head Coach Men’s National Futsal Team Head Coach National Teams Equipment Manager Assistant Equipment Manager
Graphic Designer
Kenneth Heiner-Møller
Development Department Jason deVos
Simon Eaddy
Director of Development
Dave Nutt
Development Operations Manager
Stuart Neely
Coach Education Manager
Ray Clark
Master Coach Developer
Jim Loughlin
Master Coach Developer
Women’s National Team Head Coach / Women’s National EXCEL Director Women’s EXCEL Program Goalkeeping Manager / Women’s National Team Assistant Coach
Daniel Worthington
Women’s National EXCEL Director U-15 to U-23/ Women’s National Team Assistant Coach
Maeve Glass
Women’s National Team Tour & Equipment Manager
Aimee Maiatico
Women’s EXCEL Program Manager
Andi Barnaba
Kelsey Hunt
Women’s EXCEL Program Coordinator
Isaac Raymond
Robyn Gayle
Michael Tucker
Sarah Smith
Events Coordinator National Championships Referee Department Manager Referee Program Administrator
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EXCEL Mental and Cultural Manager Peak Performance Manager
NATION CANADA SOCCER - RAPPORT ANNUEL 2018