Holt said the USL won’t talk expansion until the Canadian Soccer Association ends its moratorium on approving expansion teams into U.S.-based pro league outside of Major League Soccer. The CSA’s 10-month ban should end in October of 2011.

FIFA, in response to a query by The 11, has stated its policies on government interference into soccer. The letter is published, unedited, in full.

The 11 has learned that notice has been given to kill a a proposed resolution that would have deleted Article 32 from the Alberta Soccer Association’s bylaws, and allowed for the courts to rule on the longstanding battle over the leadership of the ASA. The Edmonton Interdistrict Youth Soccer Association, which had given notice it would table a motion at Saturday’s ASA annual general meeting to delete the bylaw, has written a letter stating it will withdraw that plan.

Being a great country is FAR more important than being a good FIFA member. Maybe it’s time for us to set an example for other countries to follow. FIFA can’t decide Saturday to suspend the Canadian Soccer Association. A suspension of a program is a process that usually takes months to complete. Board meetings have to be held. Reports have to be prepared.

With the CONCACAF Gold Cup less than eight weeks away, Canadian head coach Stephen Hart was in Toronto on Thursday morning to discuss Canada’s preparation for the tournament as well as its June 1 friendly with Ecuador at BMO Field.

Simeon Jackson made the most out his 32-plus minutes on the pitch. Jackson, who has struggled to get onto the pitch for League Championship and promotion candidates Norwich City, scored a 69th minute equalizer as Norwich City drew Watford 2-2. He pounced on a ball headed over to him by teammate Grant Holt and made no mistake from just a few yards out.

And, there were no shocks in the script. Mexico thumped Canada 3-0. By making it to the semifinals, Mexico qualifies for the U-20 World Cup.The Canadian kids get their tickets home.

Despite reports from AP this morning suggesting Canada, Costa Rica and Spain could replace Japan as one of the guest teams in this summer’s (or, in South America, winter) Copa America, the Canadian Soccer Association confirms no one from CONMEBOL has reached out to it.

Eddy Sidra has the date circled on his calendar. April 27. FC Edmonton vs. Toronto FC. Nutrilite Canadian Championship. The newest member of FC Edmonton can’t escape the negative feelings associated with his recent trial with Toronto FC. “I won’t lie. I didn’t like how it went,” said Sidra from FCE’s training camp in Sunrise, Fla. “I won’t say I’m bitter, but I certainly won’t say that I was happy. There was a lack of information that was passed on to me.”

Asmir Begovic is back on the radar of Canadian soccer fans. The former Canadian U-20 keeper, who in 2009 elected to play for Bosnia and Herzegovina, is now sponsoring a program to send disadvantaged kids to pro soccer games in his adopted hometown of Edmonton.