The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) successfully held the latest edition of its annual Player-Development Program (PDP) Championship for Under-15 and Under-17 age groups in Vaughan, Ontario, which concluded with Sunday’s finals. The event, a centrepiece of the CSA’s strategic vision for the sport and backed by funding from the FIFA Forward Programme, brings together the nation’s top youth talent as part of a broad effort to enhance player development and grassroots participation across the country. The PDP Championship forms a key pillar of Canada Soccer’s Youth Competitions Network, uniting elite youth teams from Canada’s four standards-based leagues: the Alberta Player-Development League, the BC Soccer Premier League, the Ontario Player-Development League, and the Québec Youth Soccer Premier League (PLSJQ). This year, 32 teams representing 24 clubs advanced to the national finals, emerging from a field of 210 teams across the four provinces, which was a record-setting gathering for a single-venue youth competition in Canadian soccer.

The PDP Championship is underpinned by significant support from FIFA Forward, which has provided a total of USD 1.5 million to the Canadian Youth Competition Network project. This includes USD 500,000 from FIFA Forward 2.0 and USD 1m from FIFA Forward 3.0, funding that is helping to reshape the landscape of youth competitions in the country which will co-host the FIFA World Cup 2026™ with the United States and Mexico. The funds also help the CSA focus on enhancing the National Youth Championship with improved referee development, SafeSport measures, and talent identification efforts.

Among the participating clubs were several former national youth champions, including Burnaby FC, Calgary Blizzard SC, Calgary Foothills SC, and Coastal FC, alongside other recognised names such as Lakeshore SC, Ottawa South United SC, CS Saint-Laurent, and Woodbridge SC. The increased participation reflects the broadening reach and inclusivity of the programme, which is designed not only to crown champions but to showcase the best of Canadian youth soccer talent and club development. To boost wider interest in the tournament, games were also broadcast on FIFA+.

“The 2025 Player-Development Program Championship in Vaughan was a tremendous success. This year’s event featured the largest field in PDP history, with 32 teams competing across four divisions,” said CSA President Peter Augruso. “It was a true celebration of premier youth soccer, bringing together some of Canada’s most talented boys and girls from Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia. “The level of play, camaraderie, and sportsmanship on display was nothing short of inspiring. As President of the Association, I was incredibly proud to witness the passion and excellence that defined this championship. “A heartfelt thank you to Ontario Soccer for hosting this remarkable event and for their continued commitment to player development. Congratulations to our four championship-winning teams, and to every athlete who competed with heart, integrity, and passion. You’ve created unforgettable memories and friendships that will last a lifetime,” added Augruso.

Central to the CSA’s vision is the revamp of national youth competitions and the elevation of standards for club operations, player development, and safety. All clubs participating in the PDP Championship must hold a Canada Soccer National Youth Club license, ensuring high standards in governance, coaching, and player welfare. The latest FIFA Forward investments are part of a longer term package of support for football’s growth in Canada.

"Since the launch of the FIFA Forward programme in 2016, its strategic investment has consistently supported the development of football across Canada with more than USD 7 million overall,” said Sergio Palacios, MA Development Manager FIFA Panama. “Besides its current investment in the Player Development Program (PDP) and the Canadian Premier League (CPL), it has funded a wide range of youth and senior competitions nationwide, helping to build a more competitive and connected football ecosystem as well as strengthening the entire pathway from grassroots to elite levels,” he added. The PDP also allows Canada’s national teams to have easy access to evaluate the best young talent in the country and Canada Women’s National Team coach Casey Stoney was present in Vaughan to run her eye over the players.

“I talk about the youth pathway all the time when it comes to the national teams because players have got to be fed into those youth national teams if they are to come into the senior teams,” said Stoney. “Competitions like this, where the best players play against the best players, are really important for their development and their competitiveness and you never know who is here watching.” There was double joy for Woodbridge SC who triumphed in both age groups in the boys’ competitions. They beat Vaughan SC Azzurri 2-0 in the U-17 final and AS Laval in the U-15s in a penalty shoot-out after their final had ended goalless. CS Saint-Laurent earned the Girls’ PDP U-15 Championship, defeating provincial rivals Lakeshore SC 2-0 in the final. In the U-17 final, Pickering FC defeated Hamilton United Elite SC 1-0.