The elephant in the room: CFL is the forgotten partner in the Women’s World Cup turf-vs.-grass debate 30 Sep 2014 When it comes to the looming legal action against FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association over the decision to stage next year’s Women’s World Cup on artificial turf surfaces, there are some rather large elephants in the room who are choosing to remain quiet.
FIFA to send independent company to “ensure” quality of Canada’s Women’s World Cup turf 26 Sep 2014 FIFA is going to contract an independent inspector to ensure that Canada’s artificial turf fields are indeed good enough to host a Women’s World Cup.
Is the future bright? 25 Sep 2014 Canada got to the quarter-final stage of the recently completed U-20 Women’s World Cup, losing to the eventual champs from Germany. But, as we rocket towards next year’s Women’s World Cup, we need to be realistic about how our women’s program compares against the global elite...
PLASTIC PITCH 3 is available now! “The Walking Reds” on the cover! 25 Sep 2014 The third issue of PLASTIC PITCH, our national soccer magazine, is out as of right now.
U20WWC: Prince’s injury was a harbinger of bad things to come for Canada 17 Aug 2014 At the 15-minute mark, the Canadian team got bad news — and a bad omen. Striker Nichelle Prince had to leave Saturday’s U-20 Women’s World Cup quarter-final due to injury.
U20WWC: Our one-on-one interview with Canadian striker Janine Beckie 14 Aug 2014 It was a great move. I just felt like I wanted to try this out and see what the better fit was for me. I felt like, up here, my role was a bit bigger. I just fit in better. I knew that within the first camp where I was here, talking to Andrew (coach Andrew Olivieri) about it all. Obviously, it’s a tough switch. The American program was great to me. I have nothing bad to say about the way that they run their programs. But I just fit in better here and I feel very happy with my decision.
With Canada booked for Commonwealth U20WWC quarter-final, the comparisons to 2002 will begin 13 Aug 2014 It’s a long shot that 47,784 or more spectators will show up at Commonwealth on Saturday for the Canada-Germany quarter-final. But we know it will be the comparison that will be used by so many members of the Edmonton and the national media.
Wild night at the U-20 WWC: Canada survives, Germany and China in 10-goal thriller 9 Aug 2014 That was the situation for me on Friday night. And it was a refreshing reminder of why I love this game so damn much. As I watched Germany and China contest one of the most incredible matches in the history of the U-20 Women’s World Cup at Commonwealth Stadium, I had the Canada-Finland feed up on my laptop, seeing if our national side could recover from its opening game loss.
While Canada loses its opener, Germans send a message to U20WWC field 6 Aug 2014 After seeing the Germans and Americans square off in the Group B opener at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium, I can tell Canadian fans this much. Now that Canada has lost its opener (1-0 to Ghana at BMO Field), the best it can realistically hope for out of Group A is to scrap its way into second place. And that will mean, unless the world turns topsy-turvy, Canada would face the Germans.
FCE raves about new longer and wider pitch at Clarke Stadium 22 Jul 2014 The FIFA approved surface means that Clarke can be used as a training facility for the upcoming U-20 Women’s World Cup and the Women’s World Cup in 2015. The World Cup matches happen next door at the 56,000-seat Commonwealth Stadium. FCE General Manager Rod Proudfoot said that the club must vacate Clarke Stadium between May 26 and July 8 of next year, as FIFA takes over the venue and does not allow it to be shared. Likewise, FIFA has informed the CFL Eskimos that they won’t be allowed to be in Commonwealth (or train at Clarke) during that window.
