“Absolutely. We believe that, after 2015, the interest will be there for at least one city to be a part of NWSL,” said Montopoli. “The interest will merit it…. It certainly presents an opportunity for an owner (in Canada) to be part of NWSL. We have had those initial discussions with NWSL but we’re currently waiting to see the success of 2015 before we get there.”

“It’s a single bid. It’s Canada, at this moment. It’s Canada, the Canadian Soccer Association that will be bidding, and we will continue along that line. There really have been no discussions on joint bids, either Mexico or the United States. It’s not a position we’re taking. It is a straight bid from the Canadian Soccer Association.”

Over the past two NCAA seasons, Janine Beckie has scored at a torrid pace for Texas Tech. Now, her addition to the Canadian team ahead of the U-20 Women's World Cup provides coach Andrew Olivieri with an interesting trump card.

So, as MLS looks to tweaking or making major changes to the international rule as it relates to Canadians, the Canadian Soccer Association and the league need to set a goal that’s more cut-and-dried than giving more roster spots or even, gasp, dropping the Canadians-as-internationals-on-American-teams designation. Someone needs to write down a number. And that number would be a ballpark average of first-team minutes for Canadians.

In a state-of-the-NASL conference call held Thursday morning, Peterson said he would be talking with CSA officials later in the day to discuss the organization’s long-term vision for the game in Canada. And he said the NASL would support the CSA’s vision, even if it includes the eventual launch of a Canadian Division “1A” league.

These numbers, especially as they get better as we head towards the final, will be vital as the Canadian Soccer Association tries to convince FIFA that it has what it takes to host the World Cup in 2026.

When you think of Saskatchewan and sports, you think about football... the other football, that is. But, when former Canadian national-teamer Kevin Holness returned home to Regina after his professional playing days were done, he helped rekindle a city’s love for the game of soccer

It would be hard to imagine any Canadian federal, provincial or municipal government readily taking on billions of debt to stage the 2026 tournament without some massive help from the private sector.

Floro admits that it’s frustrating that Canada’s top talent pools are split into two significant camps.

Cautious optimism. That’s the best way to describe Montreal’s reaction to Canada’s 2026 World Cup bid. No letters of support have been written. And, in a city and province that still feel the costs of hosting the 1976 Summer Olympics, big events like a World Cup can feel like déjà vu all over again...