Ontario Cup
Encyclopedia
The Ontario Cup is a soccer tournament for clubs based in the province of Ontario
in Canada
. It began play in 1901 under the Canadian Football Association
, now known as the Ontario Soccer Association.
. It has been held every year since, with the exception of the World Wars.
By 2004, the cup featured at least 12 000 athletes, and by 2008 it featured over 600 teams across 22 different age levels. The final is played at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan, Ontario
.
division. The Ontario Cup winners from the under-14, under-16, under-18 and senior open divisions advance to the Canadian National Challenge Cup
to compete against the cup winners from other provinces in Canada.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It began play in 1901 under the Canadian Football Association
Ontario Soccer Association
The Ontario Soccer Association was founded in 1901 and is one of the oldest and largest sport organizations in Canada dedicated to providing an opportunity for Ontarians to achieve their sporting goals through soccer. The OSA provides leadership, consultation and resources to the members within...
, now known as the Ontario Soccer Association.
History
The cup was first played as a senior men's tournament in 1901, making it one of the oldest active sporting competitions in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It has been held every year since, with the exception of the World Wars.
By 2004, the cup featured at least 12 000 athletes, and by 2008 it featured over 600 teams across 22 different age levels. The final is played at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
.
Format
The competition is played from May to September every year to crown a champion in each of 22 divisions, including different age levels for boys, girls and adults, and a Special OlympicsSpecial Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
division. The Ontario Cup winners from the under-14, under-16, under-18 and senior open divisions advance to the Canadian National Challenge Cup
Canadian National Challenge Cup
The Challenge Trophy is a national amateur football cup in Canada contested by the champions of individual provincial soccer competitions. It is one of the oldest football competitions in Canada, being held since 1913...
to compete against the cup winners from other provinces in Canada.