Canada Soccer cancels 2021 National Championships due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
Canada Soccer’s Toyota National Championships, which include the U-15 Cup, U-17 Cup, Jubilee and Challenge Trophy, as well as the Eastern and Western Masters competitions, have been cancelled for 2021 in respect of the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic related to participant health and saf…
Canada Soccer’s Toyota National Championships, which include the U-15 Cup, U-17 Cup, Jubilee and Challenge Trophy, as well as the Eastern and Western Masters competitions, have been cancelled for 2021 in respect of the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic related to participant health and safety.
After extensive deliberation and a comprehensive review of feedback from its Member Associations (Provincial/Territorial Soccer Associations), Competitions Committee, and our host Local Organizing Committees, Canada Soccer’s Competitions Committee made the difficult decision to recommend the cancellation of the Toyota National Championships, which brings together more than 5,000 participants across multiple venues hosted by local organizing committees each year. Canada Soccer’s Board of Directors approved the committee’s recommendation and voted to cancel the competition.
Factoring primarily into this decision
are the significant ongoing concerns for the health and safety of all
participants due to the issues related to the possibility of COVID-19
transmission during the competition. In assessing the risks and potential
mitigation strategies it was established that it would pose a demanding
logistical and financial challenge to the participating teams and Local
Organizing Committees to ensure compliance with all required protocols.
The challenges for Member Associations to
nominate Provincial and Territorial representation teams in each competition
while dealing with varying degrees of COVID-19 restrictions on their local
competition structures and planning challenges for the local organizing committees
also contributed to the cancellation.
Despite the positive news of improvement
across the country, the potential COVID-19 health and safety issues inherent
with bringing together thousands of youth-aged participants to attend the
Toyota National Championships during an ongoing pandemic made clear the
decision to not move forward with the planning and hosting of the 2021
competition.