Saturday marks the first-ever game for the Canadian Premier League, but it's never too early to think about the future.
As Forge FC prepares to host York 9 FC at a sold-out Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, and with tickets moving fast ahead of home openers elsewhere in the country, things are going according to plan for the fledgling professional circuit. But with a modest seven teams for its inaugural campaign, the CPL is already looking ahead to its next phase and the possible addition of more teams in the near future.
"We're talking to about 18 different clubs and regions and potential owners right now," CPL commissioner David Clanachan told Sirius XM this week. "They're not all coming out of the gate at the same pace, but there's three or four front runners that are there that we've got multiple opportunities with."
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Five provinces are currently represented through the league's maiden clubs. That leaves a whole lot of room for expansion in a country the size of Canada, and filling in the gaps is something that is at the forefront of the CPL's long-term vision.
"[There are] some great spots out west that we're talking to right now," Clanachan said. "You're probably hearing a lot about Quebec. We've had tremendous inquiries about the Quebec market, specifically Quebec City and the ... bedroom communities of Montreal."
Former Canadian international Alex Bunbury has been public about his efforts to head a team in the Montreal area, and a group in Saskatchewan is reportedly also in the running. Expanding the league's footprint into some of the more obviously underserved areas of the nation is a no-brainer for the commissioner.
"Quite frankly, as I look at Quebec [and elsewhere], it's hard to say you're a Canadian national game if you don't have teams in these other provinces," he said.
A Message from Canadian Premier League Commissioner 🚨This League is for You, For Our Communities, and For Our Country 🇨🇦 #CanPL #WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/A7tl7E4w8q
— CanPL (@CPLsoccer) April 25, 2019
While expansion talk is exciting, Clanachan noted that the level of interest from prospective owners allows the CPL to take its time in choosing the right groups and cities to partner with. A big stumbling block is the lack of existing soccer infrastructure in Canada, with two of the maiden clubs (HFX Wanderers FC and Cavalry FC) having to build venues from scratch and two more (York and Pacific FC) having to heavily retrofit existing facilities.
The ability to secure a proper place to play is just as important as any other factor when considering potential expansion clubs, the commissioner said.
"It really depends on the business plan, the soccer ops plan, and of course where the clubs will play," Clanachan explained. "I wouldn't say it's an impediment, but one of the biggest challenges we have in Canada is we don't have an abundance of stadiums to play in."
Even with the stated hurdles, Clanachan is confident that CPL fans could hear of a potential newcomer club or two in the months ahead.
"I'd like to see somewhere [in the range of] eight or nine teams [in the CPL] by next year at kick-off," Clanachan said. "I'd be more than happy to announce at least one team [soon] to show growth in the league."