2025 Season Preview: Everything You Need To Know!
Today, a new League1 Ontario season kicks off with the first round of the L1 Cup, and we put together a quick preview for you to be up to speed with everything you need to know before supporting your Guelph United in 2025!
What is League1 Ontario?
League1 Ontario is a semi-pro soccer league that was founded in 2014. It is owned and managed by CSB (Canadian Soccer Business), and is sanctioned by FIFA through Canada Soccer and Ontario Soccer. Together with League1 Quebec, League1 BC and League1 Alberta, it currently sits at the third tier of the Canadian soccer pyramid, with CPL (Canadian Premier League) at the first tier, and no current second tier leagues. You can visit their website here.
What is the format of the league?
Last year, League1 Ontario became the first North American senior soccer league implementing a format similar to the European model, including a tiered structure with promotion/relegation between its divisions, no playoffs, and a cup competition that runs in parallel with the leagues. You can read more details about it here.
Where does Guelph United fit into all this?
Guelph United’s women’s team is part of the highest division of League1 Ontario, the Premier division, which features the province’s best 10 teams. Unfortunately, our men’s team relegated at the end of 2024, and is now part of the second-tier Championship Division.
At the end of the season, the Premier Division’s top team is crowned champion, and qualifies to a national competition (the Canadian Championship for men, the L1 Inter-provincial Championship for women). The bottom team(s) relegate to the Championship, while the top teams(s) from the Championship promote to the Premier Division - which is what our men’s team will be fighting for.
There is also a third division, named League2 Ontario, which features newly formed teams and reserve squads, and which is where our Reserve teams are playing.
How do our rosters look like?
With 10 days to go until our league debut, our rosters aren’t finalized yet - so expect a few more signings in the coming days.
Our men’s team has kept a few of its core players, including 2024 Supporters MVP Gray Yates, 2023 Player of the Year Cole Fernandez, and Jack Sears, who holds the record for second-most appearances in GUFC history. On the new signings front, Guelph United has inked 6 new players, including Irish keeper Jack Harrington (a former colleague of Amardo Oakley’s in the Irish First Division), and former Leeds United Academy prospect Luke Harrop. We also promoted a few players from our Reserve squad. You can check out the current roster here.
Our women’s team, after finishing 6th last season, is aiming higher this year. We re-signed a few core players from 2024, including top scorer and First Team MVP Olivia Rizakos, and First Team U21 MVP Haley Ward, and signed many new exciting talents, including Swiss U19 International Leana Claude, U Sports All Star Zoë Rowe, and NCAA star Emma Warren. Here is the full roster.
You can read more about each of our signings in our newsfeed.
That’s great and all, but how and where can I attend games?
Both our senior teams play their games at the Centennial Bowl (here’s how you can get there). Even though the season starts today, the home opener at the Bowl will take place on May 20. Before then, our teams will play a few games away from home (see the schedules for men and women), with the exception of one “home” match that our women’s team plays tonight in Hamilton.
Is it expensive?
It most certainly is not. Adult game tickets cost $10; kids pay $5; and children under 10 have free admission. But the best way to watch our team is through our affordable season tickets: $65 for adults and $30 for kids and seniors give you access to ALL 20 games hosted at the Centennial Bowl this summer (as well as the “home” match in Hamilton). Get yours now!
Is there anything to eat or drink at the Bowl?
Absolutely. We have plenty of snack options, hot dogs, and a beer garden with various brews from Wellington, as well as wine.
Can the games be streamed anywhere?
Not all of them. League1 Ontario provides streams of 2 games each week; whenever Guelph United is live streamed we will make sure to let you know through our social media channels.
Can I have a handy schedule of all our home matches?
Yep: here’s the full Centennial Bowl schedule for 2025.
Tuesday May 20, 8.00 PM: GUFC Women - Simcoe County Rovers
Sunday May 25, 2.30 PM: GUFC Women - Woodbridge Strikers
Sunday May 25, 6.30 PM: GUFC Men – Master’s FA
Saturday May 31, 2.00 PM: GUFC Men - Whitby FC
Tuesday June 3, 8.00 PM: GUFC Women - North Mississauga SC
Sunday June 8, 6.30 PM: GUFC Women - North Toronto Nitros
Tuesday June 10, 8.00 PM: GUFC Men - York United Academy
Wednesday June 11, 8.00 PM: GUFC Women - FC London
Saturday June 28, 1.00 PM: GUFC Women - NDC Ontario
Saturday June 28, 5.00 PM: GUFC Men - Hamilton United
Tuesday July 8, 8.00 PM: GUFC Men - Pickering FC
Sunday July 13, 2.30 PM: GUFC Men - North Mississauga SC
Sunday July 13, 6.30 PM: GUFC Women - Vaughan Azzurri
Saturday July 19, 12.30 PM: GUFC Men - Waterloo United
Tuesday July 22, 8.00 PM: GUFC Men - Windsor City FC
Wednesday July 23, 8.00 PM: GUFC Women - Alliance United
Monday August 4, 7.30 PM: GUFC Women - Waterloo United
Tuesday August 5, 8.00 PM: GUFC Men - The Borough FC
Tuesday August 12, 8.00 PM: GUFC Men - Unionville Milliken
Wednesday August 20, 8.00 PM: GUFC Men - Sudbury Cyclones