League1 Ontario sets new 2021 start date for July 29th
Toronto, ON (June 15, 2021) - Today, League1 Ontario announced that they have optimistically targeted July 29, 2021, as the new start date for a 2021 campaign for both Women and Men, which will run into early November.
On May 7, 2021, League1 Ontario announced the intention to kick off the 2021 season on July 2, if the Provincial Government’s COVID-19 re-opening plans would allow full team training to commence by June 7.
As of June 11, the province’s announced Roadmap to Reopen, Step 1 Return to Play regulations limit teams to socially distanced training sessions with a maximum of 10 players per quadrant on a pitch. Open Trials are not permitted in Step 1 of Return to Play and as a result the July 2 kickoff will not be possible.
The League1 Ontario Board of Directors are optimistic that a return to competition is possible for this summer and fall, especially considering the progress the Province of Ontario is making battling COVID-19 and getting the residents of Ontario fully vaccinated.
“Although it is disappointing that a July 2 kickoff is no longer possible, we are feeling very confident and optimistic that a July 29 start date is feasible, with the provision that we can enter Step 2 of the Provincial Government’s plan within 21 days of the launch of Step 1 and that the next step of reopening indeed allows for a return to full team training and competition,” League1 Ontario Managing Director, Matthew Braithwaite said.
L1O officials have presented license holders with additional scenarios for kicking off in August if there are delays in transitioning to Step 2 of the Return to Play strategy.
More details about the competition format for the 2021 season will be shared as we await further Step 2 and 3 details from the Government of Ontario through Ontario Soccer’s Return to Play plan.
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About Guelph United F.C.
Established in 2020 with the help and experience of local partners, the University of Guelph Gryphons, the Guelph Soccer Junior Gryphons, and the City of Guelph, Guelph United F.C. was formed with the goal of bringing League1 Ontario to this vibrant community located just an hour west of Toronto.
“We are extremely excited to be part of League1 Ontario in 2021 and with our ties to the excellent soccer program at the University of Guelph, we look forward to building a team our community and fans can get excited about,” - General Manager and Associate Head Coach Keith Mason.
About League1 Ontario
League1 Ontario is the Province of Ontario’s Pro-Am, standards-based, senior soccer league.
Founded in 2014 by Ontario Soccer, the league began with a ten team men’s division, which has now grown to 20 teams in the men’s division and includes a separate 14 team women’s division.
League1 Ontario serves as a critical bridge between the high-performance youth level and the professional levels of the game.
Owned and managed by Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) since 2019, and sanctioned by FIFA through the domestic bodies of Canada Soccer and Ontario Soccer, League1 Ontario’s primary focus is the showcase and development of Canada’s future stars.