The Canadian Premier League kicks off its sixth season this weekend, still a work in progress but with a sense of stability in most quarters.

Toronto-based York United FC, sold in November after being taken over last April by Canadian Soccer Business (which shares the same ownership as the CPL), has enthusiastic new Mexican owners and all eight clubs enter the season with the same coaches. There seems plenty to build on.

含羞草研究社淪tability is a great word for a young league and that含羞草研究社檚 where we are,含羞草研究社� said commissioner Mark Noonan. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 stability tied with growth. That含羞草研究社檚 the focus.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e in a good place to continue that path,含羞草研究社� he added.

B.C. teams in Langley and Langford are part of what Noonan calls a 含羞草研究社渓eague of opportunity含羞草研究社� with 75 per cent of its minutes going to Canadian talent.

The CPL saw five of its clubs separated by just six points, from second to fifth place, in a competitive 2023 season. And the campaign concluded in a doozy of a final that saw defending champion Forge FC win its fourth title in a dramatic 2-1 win over regular-season leader Cavalry FC with all three goals coming in extra time.

Forge coach Bobby Smyrniotis, a constant since Day 1 likes what he sees over the first five years.

含羞草研究社淢ore talent, more players, more ability,含羞草研究社� said Smyrniotis. 含羞草研究社淎nd I think that含羞草研究社檚 going to become more entertaining for all the crowds that are coming 含羞草研究社� As long as we keep putting the right product on the field.含羞草研究社�

Noonan says the news was good off the field as well.

含羞草研究社淓very kind of business metric that we measure went in the right direction,含羞草研究社� he said in an interview.

But building a league is a costly, challenging task. Observers got a peek into just how costly when the community-owned Winnipeg Blue Bombers, which operates Valour FC, released its 2023 annual report this week.

Valour, which finished last in the league at 6-14-8, lost on and off the field. Some $1.25 million advanced to the team by the parent Winnipeg Football Club was recorded as a loss 含羞草研究社渂ecause there is uncertainty on Valour含羞草研究社檚 ability to repay the loan.含羞草研究社�

In December, Noonan said CPL owners were 含羞草研究社減robably $125 million in the hole含羞草研究社� from developing 含羞草研究社渁n ecosystem for soccer in Canada that didn含羞草研究社檛 exist.含羞草研究社�

On the plus side, a disagreement with media partner Mediapro Canada that led to legal filings appears to be settled, with OneSoccer once again airing all of the league含羞草研究社檚 games.

含羞草研究社淏usiness as usual,含羞草研究社� said Noonan.

The season opens Saturday with Atletico Ottawa hosting York United, Cavalry visiting Forge in a rematch of last year含羞草研究社檚 championship game and Pacific FC entertaining Halifax Wanderers FC.

On Sunday, it含羞草研究社檚 Valour at Vancouver FC.

There are two trophies up for grabs with the CPL Shield going to the team that finishes first in the regular-season standings and the North Star Cup to the last team standing in the playoffs. Both come with berths in the CONCACAF Champions含羞草研究社� Cup, the confederation含羞草研究社檚 elite club competition.

Forge is looking for a three-peat. Smyrniotis knows it will take supreme effort.

含羞草研究社淚 think one of the most difficult things in sport is keep on winning in a salary-cap league,含羞草研究社� he said.

Atletico Ottawa has restocked its roster after finishing sixth last season at 10-12-6, missing the post-season by just two points. Additions include defenders Amer Didi膰 and Jonathan Grant, midfielders Manny Aparicio and Aboubacar Sissoko and forward Ballou Tabla.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a completely new team,含羞草研究社� said coach Carlos Gonzalez. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e trying to blend them into a good team, a great team together.含羞草研究社�

Game Plan Sports Group, led by Mexican brothers Eduardo, Miguel and Ricardo Pasquel, now own York, the second franchise with foreign ownership. Ottawa is part of Atletico Madrid含羞草研究社檚 worldwide network of clubs.

含羞草研究社淭his is the world含羞草研究社檚 game,含羞草研究社� said Noonan. 含羞草研究社淎nd bringing in a group like the Pasquel brothers and all their connections opens up a great new window for us in a lot of ways 含羞草研究社� CPL is now on the radar in Mexico.含羞草研究社�

And elsewhere. The CPL is shown in 35 countries with plans to grow that coverage.

As for expansion, Noonan says there are 15 groups interested in a CPL franchise on non-disclosure agreements. But Noonan says the league won含羞草研究社檛 add teams until they tick all the necessary boxes.

He expects the league to likely remain at eight teams in 2025 and look to expand in 2026.

含羞草研究社淏ut I含羞草研究社檓 bullish on expansion. We will double the size of this league in the next decade or so. But we have to do it smartly, 含羞草研究社� he added.

The league implemented an 含羞草研究社渆xceptional young talent含羞草研究社� designation last season, allowing teams to sign two additional under-18 domestic players who don含羞草研究社檛 count against the salary cap or roster number.

Vancouver FC took advantage of that last season to sign T.J. Tahid and James Cameron, both of whom went on to represent Canada at the youth level.

This year含羞草研究社檚 phenom is 16-year-old Grady McDonnell, who was 15 when he signed with Vancouver in January. He is on a regular three-year pro deal.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e not going out and buy Lionel Messi. But we might develop him,含羞草研究社� said Noonan. 含羞草研究社淎nd that含羞草研究社檚 what is really exciting. It含羞草研究社檚 a good reason to come to the matches, to see this next generation of players that are going to start coming up through our league.含羞草研究社�

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