TORONTO — The search for a new coach and stadium continues. But York United FC took a step towards the future Thursday with news that it will field an under-20 team in League1 Ontario next year.
The Canadian Premier League team has acquired a licence to compete in the League1 Ontario men’s Championship Division, the second tier of the semi-pro league which is also home to the Toronto FC academy side.
"We truly believe in the talent that exists not only in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) and Toronto but in Canada s a whole," York president and GM Ricardo Pasquel told a virtual availability. "It's just a matter of identifying them, giving them a chance to develop and hopefully take a look at what they can become in the future.
"We're pretty excited for what's to come:"
Starting next season, York United FC Academy will feature amateur under-20 players plus a maximum of three domestic under-23 players at any one time. The new team will also be allowed to bring in a maximum of three players from the CPL club on short-term loans.
Both teams will play their play home games at York Lions Stadium.
York says it has signed more than over 30 players with League1 Ontario experience over the last six years.
Game Plan Sports Group, a consortium led by Mexican brothers Ricardo, Eduardo and Miguel Pasquel, bought York in November 2023.
With Mexican Benjamin Mora leaving the club by mutual agreement at the end of the season, York is searching for a new coach. Mora, who was hired in early June, was a finalist for CPL coach of the year.
"Benjamin had other plans for the future," Ricardo Pasquel told an end-of-season availability Thursday. "He wanted something different in the short-term, and that's fine."
York CEO Eduardo Pasquel said the team is looking at both Canadian and international coaches and has already begun the interview process.
"We're looking to be here with the next coach for many years to come," he said. "We want to see it as a long-term project."
The League1 team is part of that.
League1 Ontario is owned and managed by Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) which shares the same ownership as the Canadian Premier League.
Sigma FC serves as Forge FC's affiliate in the top-tier League1 Ontario Premier Division. Calgary's Cavalry FC's under-21 side plays in League1 Alberta.
The brothers had no update on the search for a new home.
"We continue in the search, we continue with different conversations," said Ricardo Pasquel.
"Nothing official to announce," he added." Hopefully this changes fairly soon next year."
York finished fourth in the league at 11-11-6, collecting a franchise-record 39 points on the season and clinching a playoff spot with three weeks to spare. It defeated visiting Pacific FC 2-0 in the fourth-versus-fifth matchup for its first-ever playoff win before losing the quarterfinal at No. 3 Atletico Ottawa in a penalty shootout.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2024.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press