Fury FC and FC Edmonton Renew Rivalry in Canadian Championship
Published on March 10, 2017 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Ottawa Fury FC News Release
OTTAWA, ON - The 10th edition of the Canadian Championship will open at TD Place on May 3 when Ottawa and Edmonton renew their rivalry in the qualifying round - the first match in a two-legged home-and-away series. The return leg is set for May 10 in Edmonton with the winner advancing to face Toronto FC in the semifinal stage. Canada Soccer unveiled the complete Canadian Championship schedule on Thursday.
"We're excited to once again represent Canada's capital in the Battle of the North," said Fury FC GM and head coach Paul Dalglish. "Last season we achieved something very special for this club and with the squad that we have this season, I'm confident that we can compete with every club - NASL or MLS - and contend for that Canadian Championship."
The two-match qualifying round sets the Battle of the North in motion, which sets itself apart from all North American professional sports leagues that operate on both sides of the border as the only one to hold an all-Canada competition that leads to the international stage.
The semifinal stage of the Canadian Championship will begin May 23 as the winner of Ottawa/Edmonton will host Toronto FC with the return leg in Toronto set for May 30. The other semifinal will feature the Montreal Impact and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The two winners will face off in the two-legged final beginning on June 21/22 and ending on June 27, where the winner will be crowned 2017 Canadian Champion and have the privilege of raising the Voyageurs Cup.
New to this year's edition, Canada Soccer has added a Canadian Content rule ensuring that at least three Canadians are included in every starting lineup throughout the competition.
2017 Qualifying Round
3 May Ottawa Fury FC v FC Edmonton - TD Place
10 May FC Edmonton v Ottawa Fury FC - Clarke Field
2017 Semifinal Rounds
23 May (Qualifying Round winner) v Toronto FC
23 May Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Impact Montréal FC
30 May Impact Montréal FC v Vancouver Whitecaps FC
31 May Toronto FC v (Qualifying Round winner)
2017 Championship Final
20/21 June First leg between Semi-Final winners
* Should Montreal make the Final this match will be played on June 21
27 June Second leg between Semi-Final winners
The 2017 Canadian Championship features five clubs across three rounds and serves as a route to the CONCACAF Champions League, the path by which Canadian teams have a chance to play the best clubs in the world at the FIFA Club World Cup, such as reigning champions CF Real Madrid. In line with the launch of the new CONCACAF Champions League format which places the Canadian representative in Phase II beginning in March 2018, a special one-match Canadian playoff between last year's winners Toronto FC (unless Toronto FC repeats as Canadian winners) and the 2017 winners will be played on 9 August in Toronto to determine who will advance.
Looking ahead to 2018, Canada Soccer has also confirmed plans to expand the Canadian Championship to include winning teams from both Ontario League 1 and Première Ligue de soccer du Québec.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 10, 2017
- LA Galaxy II Sign Jean Jospin Engola and Andre Ulrich Zanga - LA Galaxy II
- Late Goals from Rhinos Sink Fury FC - Ottawa Fury FC
- Fury FC and FC Edmonton Renew Rivalry in Canadian Championship - Ottawa Fury FC
- San Antonio FC to Face FC Dallas in Final Preseason Match on March - San Antonio FC
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
