Canada Soccer and Canadian Soccer Media and Entertainment Announce Renewed Partnership
Canada Soccer and Canadian Soccer Media and Entertainment (CSME) today announced a renewed representation partnership, marking the next phase in a long-term relationship and a strengthened shared commitment to building a prosperous future for soccer in Canada.
The renewed agreement aligns financial incentives between the parties, creating a clearer framework for collaboration to drive increased revenue for Canada Soccer and additional investment into Canada’s National Teams and the broader Canadian soccer landscape. The enhanced structure is designed to deliver greater value for players, fans and commercial partners, while supporting sustained success on and off the pitch, both now and into the future.
“After extensive work, we are pleased to have amended this partnership into a new structure that is significantly more favourable to Canada Soccer, creating a clear pathway for commercial and financial success - especially in future years as opportunity in our sport continues to increase. We are eager to move forward in a new era of alignment with CSME and continue to be sharply focused on growing all parts of our sport at this critical time.”
-Kevin Blue, CEO and General Secretary, Canada Soccer
The partnership has been expanded to cover Canada Soccer’s licensing activity, now included alongside sponsorship and media rights, to create a more coordinated and streamlined approach to growing Canada Soccer’s commercial activities.
“At its core, this partnership is about performance, innovation and belief in what Canadian soccer can become. As CSME’s mandate broadens, we now have a more integrated platform to drive sustainable growth across the entire business of soccer in Canada. By working together with ambition and discipline, we can strengthen the foundations of the game and unlock long-term value for the sport across the country.”
-James Johnson, Group CEO, Canadian Soccer Media and Entertainment
The updated partnership framework is consistent with current market benchmarks for term and compensation for commercial rights representation agreements and is designed to better support the lasting development of Canadian soccer. The new agreement is attached to this release below.
- The term is from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2037, with "look-in periods” every three years to review terms to ensure ongoing fair market value alignment. There is a mutual option for a five-year extension at the conclusion of the term.
- The primary compensation framework is a revenue-share – that is backstopped by guaranteed annual minimums and supplemented by two additional lump sum payments during the term – ensuring both parties are incentivized to grow commercial investment.
- A commitment to wide broadcast distribution of all senior National Team matches played in Canada, as well as matches played internationally in Canada-friendly time zones. Equity of exposure between the men’s and women’s national teams is a guiding principle, supporting greater visibility for all players and enabling the game to reach larger audiences across the country.
- A joint governance structure involving senior leadership from both organizations to oversee and guide the partnership.
Incremental revenues generated will be primarily reinvested into senior and youth National Team programs, coaching, referee development, and grassroots and community soccer initiatives. This ensures that commercial growth directly strengthens participation, performance, and development across the Canadian soccer system, particularly as momentum builds toward a co-hosted FIFA World Cup™.
Innovation and digital transformation will also be central to this next phase. Both organizations recognize the importance of continued investment in digital platforms and infrastructure to enhance fan engagement, accessibility, and long-term sustainability. Further progress and announcements will be shared in the coming months.
Players’ Associations representing the senior national teams are working closely with Canada Soccer to finalize the details of a collective bargaining agreement for ratification by their members. An update will be provided when that process is completed.
Canada Soccer - CSME Binding Agreement_Final.pdf
PDF 530 KB
ABOUT CANADIAN SOCCER MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT
Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment (formerly Canadian Soccer Business) represents a suite of top-tier national assets that are central to the sport of soccer in Canada. This includes representation for all corporate partnerships, licensing, and media rights (broadcast and distribution) related to Canada Soccer’s core assets including the Men’s and Women’s National Team and the TELUS Canadian Championship, along with all rights associated with the Canadian Premier League (CPL) and Premier Soccer Leagues Canada.
Paulo Senra
Laura Armstrong