@Ottawa Green What is the standard of the Canadian league that he plays in? As in, how does it compare to 'our' leagues here? League One/Two equivalent do you think?
The Canadian Premier League (CPL) started in 2019, so is only 3 years old, It started with 7 teams, spread from Halifax to Victoria, approx. 5800 klms. apart. The next year Ottawa joined, but because of Covid the league only played a one month schedule in a bubble in Prince Edward Island, all teams played each other in a round robin formula, giving each team 7 games and then top 4 played a playoff. Before CPL started there were only 2 pro teams Toronto and Ottawa Fury and they played in the USL a league based in the US with over 60 teams, this was the 2nd best league in the US right behind the MLS and i would say the quality was as good as League 1 and a few teams were maybe Championship level, at least 4 teams moved on to MLS when they expanded. I was fortunate to work for the Fury as a volunteer working on the 4th officials desk, and was fortunate to meet a number of well known players including Bruce Grobbelar, Anthony Pulis, (Tony Pulis's son), Jason Bent, etc.
The Ottawa Fury was forced to leave the USL by the Canadian Soccer Association as they did not want a Canadian team to play in the US when there was now a Canadian Professional league, the Fury said they would not join the CPL so they folded.
Mason's team Cavalry based out of Calgary is the #1 team, crowds in the league average between 3-5000. I would say the level of the CPL is League 2 or National League, most of the players are Canadian, with each team having maybe 5-6 Non Canadians. Atletico Ottawa is partially owned by Atletico Madrid and they have loaned Ottawa 4 players but they are youngsters 18-20 year olds who are struggling, language, travel, playing players older and more experienced. The season runs from April till November and it is a 28 game schedule. Also they play the Canadian Championship which consists of 13 teams, the 8 CPL teams, the champions of the semi pro ontario and Quebec leagues and the 3 Canadian MLS teams. The winners of the CPL and the Canadian Championship then qualify to play in the CONCACAF league and tournament. which takes in teams from Mexico, Panama, Costa Rico and the Caribbean
The main aim of the CPL is to improve the standard of Football in Canada.