The Canada Soccer National Development Centre and Canada Soccer EXCEL programs are full-time women's soccer development programs run by the Canadian Soccer Association in partnership with the various provincial associations to develop Canadian women's soccer players as part of the Canadian women's soccer pathway.[1][2] There are three National Development Centres in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia and Regional EXCEL programs in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.[3]
| League | League1 Ontario League1 British Columbia Ligue1 Québec League1 Alberta |
|---|---|
| Website | https://www.canadasoccer.com/national-teams/women-nt-program/ |
The four National Development Centres enter teams in Canada's tier 3 women's leagues: League1 Ontario, League1 British Columbia, Ligue1 Québec, and League1 Alberta.
Alberta
 | |
| Full name | Alberta Soccer Association High Performance |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2024 |
| Head coach | Lee Tucker |
| League | League1 Alberta |
| 2024 | L1AB, 3rd |
In November 2023, it was announced that Canada Soccer and the Alberta Soccer Association would open a national development centre for U15 to U18 girls in Calgary in 2024. The program was developed in partnership with Calgary Foothills WFC, who developed the girls high performance program for it.[4] The program would form part of the Alberta pathway to the Northern Super League which is to launch in 2025.[5] The group will participate in the women's division of League1 Alberta.[6] They finished tied for second place in their inaugural season, but finishing third due to goal difference.[7]
In September 2024, it was announced that Alberta Soccer would transfer the operation of the program to new women's professional side Calgary Wild FC of the Northern Super League.[8]
Seasons
| Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | Playoffs | Inter-provincial Championship | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | League1 Alberta | 7 | 6–0–6 | 3rd | not held | did not qualify | |
British Columbia
 | |
| Full name | Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy |
|---|---|
| Stadium | Ken Woods Field Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Head coach | Katie Collar |
| League | League1 British Columbia |
| 2024 | League, 1st Playoffs, Champions |
In 2015, the Canadian Soccer Association partnered with the BC Soccer Association and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC to launch its regional EXCEL program which will be run as part of the Whitecaps FC Academy.[9]
In 2021, it was announced that the program would join the semi-professional League1 British Columbia as a founding franchise for the 2022 season.[3][10] Their home games will take place at Ken Woods Field at the National Soccer Development Centre.[11] They played their debut match on May 22, defeating the Victoria Highlanders 5-1.[12]
During the 2022 regular season, the Whitecaps managed to finish second in the regular season standings and qualified for the Championship final, despite many of their university age players having to depart the team before the end of the season, leaving them with a roster composed of 14-17 year old players.[13][14] In the Championship Final, the Whitecaps Girls defeated Varsity FC to win the inaugural women's League1 British Columbia title.[15] In May 2023, the team participated in the 2023 Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup, winning the title.[16] In the 2023 L1BC season, they won the league double, capturing the regular season title and the playoff championship, advancing to the Women's Inter-Provincial Championship,[17] which they also won to become the overall League1 Canada champions.[18] In 2024, they once again won the League1 BC title to advance to the Inter-Provincial Championship again,[19] winning the overall League1 Canada title for the second consecutive year.[20]
Seasons
| Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | Playoffs | National / continental | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | League1 British Columbia | 7 | 8–1–3 | 2nd | Champions | withdrew | [21] | |
| 2023 | 8 | 11–1–2 | 1st | Champions | Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup | Champions | [21] | |
| Inter-Provincial Championship | Champions | |||||||
| 2024 | 7 | 10–2–0 | 1st | Champions | Inter-Provincial Championship | Champions | ||
| CONCACAF W Champions Cup | Group stage | |||||||
Ontario
 | |
| Full name | National Development Centre Ontario |
|---|---|
| Stadium | Ontario Soccer Centre Vaughan, Ontario |
| Capacity | 2,000 |
| Head coach | Joey Lombardi |
| League | League1 Ontario |
| 2024 | L1O-P, Champions |
The Canadian Soccer Association partnered with the Ontario Soccer Association, Own the Podium, Sport Canada, the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, and Bill Crothers Secondary School in Markham Ontario, to launch its Regional EXCEL (REX) program in January 2018. The REX Super Centres provide top youth female players with a centralized, daily training program to develop their skills for players from U14 to U18 as part of Canada Soccer's Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) program.[22]
In 2022, it was announced that the NDC Ontario program would join and enter a team in the League1 Ontario women's division.[23] Their debut match occurred on May 22, finishing in a 1–1 draw against the Woodbridge Strikers.[24][25] After finishing in second place in the regular season standings,[26] NDC were crowned champions after defeating Alliance United FC in the playoff final in their debut season.[27][28] In their second season, they won the Ron Smale Cup after finishing in first in regular-season standings, but fell in the playoff championship final to Alliance United in extra time.[29] In 2024, they again won the league title, advancing to the League1 Canada Women's Inter-Provincial Championship.[30]
Seasons
| Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | Playoffs | League Cup | Inter-provincial Championship | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | League1 Ontario | 20 | 14–4–1 | 2nd | Champions | Not held | Withdrew | |
| 2023 | 19 | 14–3–1 | 1st | Finalists | Not held | Did not qualify | ||
| 2024 | League1 Ontario Premier | 10 | 15–1–2 | Champions | Not held | Round of 16 | 3rd | |
Québec
 | |
| Full name | Programme Excel Féminin de Soccer Québec |
|---|---|
| Stadium | Centre Sportif Bois-de-Boulogne Laval, Québec |
| League | Ligue1 Québec |
| 2024 | L1Q, 2nd; Playoffs, Finalists |
In 2021, the Canadian Soccer Association in partnership with Soccer Québec set up the Programme EXCEL féminin in Québec.[31]
In 2022, it was announced that they would field a team in the Première ligue de soccer du Québec women's division beginning in the 2022 season.[32] In May 2023, the CF Montréal Academy took over the technical component of the PEF program, as part of the launch of their women's academy program, with the PEF teams to now wear the CF Montreal badge on their jerseys.[33] In 2023, they won the league and cup double and qualified for the League1 Canada Inter-Provincial Cup.[34][35]
Seasons
| Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | Playoffs | League Cup | Inter-provincial Championship | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Première ligue de soccer du Québec | 12 | 4–2–5 | 7th | – | did not qualify | did not qualify | [36] |
| 2023 | Ligue1 Québec | 12 | 8–2–1 | Champions | – | Champions | Runner-up | [37] |
| 2024 | 12 | 10–1–5 | 1st, Group B (2nd overall) | Finalists | – | did not qualify |
References
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