League1 British Columbia

{{short description|Canadian soccer league}}

{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2022}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}

{{Infobox football league

| name = League1 British Columbia

| logo = League1 BC logo.png

| upright = 0.8

| country = Canada

| confed = CONCACAF

| organiser = BC Soccer Association

| founded = {{Start date and age|2021|10|05}}

| first = 2022

| teams = 9 (men's)
9 (women's)

| feeds =

| levels = 3

| league_cup =

| domest_cup = Canadian Championship (men)
Interprovincial Championship (women)

| champions = TSS Rovers FC (men)
Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite (women)

| season = 2024

| most_champs = TSS Rovers FC (2, men),
Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite (3, women)

| shieldtitle = Juan de Fuca Plate

| shield = Whitecaps FC Academy

| most_shields = Whitecaps FC Academy (3)

| tv = Telus TV

| website = {{URL|http://league1bc.ca/}}

| current = 2025 League1 BC season

}}

League1 British Columbia (L1BC) is a semi-professional men's and women's soccer league in British Columbia, Canada. The league is sanctioned by the Canadian Soccer Association and the BC Soccer Association as a Division III Pro-Am league in the Canadian soccer league system.

In the Canadian soccer league system, the men's division is behind the Canadian Premier League (CPL). It is part of League1 Canada, the national third tier with regional division, with L1BC equaivalent to Ligue1 Québec (L1QC), League1 Ontario (L1ON), and League1 Alberta (L1AB). The men's league champion qualifies for the Canadian Championship, the domestic cup championship, for the following season.

The semi-professional league was created to fill in the gap between the top amateur leagues in the province, such as the Pacific Coast Soccer League, Fraser Valley Soccer League, Vancouver Island Soccer League and Vancouver Metro Soccer League, with the professional top tier Canadian Premier League.{{Cite web|url=https://aftn.ca/the-future-of-the-bc-soccer-pyramid/|title=The future of the BC soccer pyramid|date=April 15, 2020|first=Jeff|last=Doyle|work=Away From the Numbers}}{{Cite web|url=https://northernstartingeleven.com/the-bc-regional-tier-3-march-update/|title=BC Regional Tier 3: March Update|date=March 8, 2017|first=Shawn|last=Gray|work=Northern Starting XI}}

History

BC Soccer originally looked into the possibility of starting a "Regional Tier 3" league in their 2016 Strategic Plan,{{Cite web|url=https://northernstartingeleven.com/bc-soccer-rt3-new-division-3-coming-to-bc/|title=BC Soccer RT3: New Division-3 coming to BC|date=January 17, 2017|first=Shawn|last=Gray|work=Northern Starting XI}} with the goal of beginning in 2018 with eight teams.{{cite web|url=https://nsxinetwork.com/the-future-of-soccer-in-bc-where-do-bcs-pdl-teams-stand/|title=BCRT3: Where do BC's PDL teams stand?|first=Shawn|last=Gray|date=April 4, 2017|work=Northern Starting XI}} However, nothing came to fruition due to insufficient interest from clubs.{{cite web|url=https://northernstartingeleven.com/b-c-league-1-approaching-critical-moment/|title=League 1 BC Approaching Critical Moment|date=January 21, 2020|first=Rob|last=Notenboom|work=Northern Starting XI}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bcsoccer.net/news/post/bc-soccer-provides-update-on-proposed-regional-tier-3-league|title=BC Soccer Provides Update on Proposed Regional Tier 3 League|date=June 27, 2019|work=British Columbia Soccer Association}} In June 2019, they announced their intention to begin play in 2021 with at least six clubs.{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/league-1-bc/|title=What We Know About BC's Proposed New League So Far|first=John|last=Jacques|date=June 29, 2019|work=Northern Tribune}} Teams would need to commit for three years minimum and field teams in both the male and female divisions. The proposed league would be open to professional clubs fielding reserve sides, provided they are not branded with "Reserves" or "U-23" in their team name.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bcsoccer.net/files/Player/League1BC/L1BC-ClubFranchise%20marketing%20and%20branding%20philosophy%20and%20longer%20term%20vision.pdf|title=League One British Columbia (L1BC)|work=BC Soccer|date=June 27, 2019|publisher=British Columbia Soccer Association}}{{cite web|url=https://culturesoccer.com/2021/02/23/lavenement-dune-nouvelle-ligue-la-bc-league-1/|date=February 23, 2021|first=Alex|last=Rupert|title=L'avènement d'une nouvelle ligue : La BC League 1|language=fr|trans-title=The advent of a new league: The BC League 1|work=Culture Soccer}}

In January 2021, the league was rumoured to be launching later that year with six or eight teams, including a development team from the Major League Soccer club Vancouver Whitecaps FC.{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/league1-bc-inaugural-season-2021/|title=Is League1 BC Starting This Year?|date=January 30, 2021|first=John|last=Jacques|work=Northern Tribune}} On October 5, 2021, the league was officially announced by BC Soccer to begin play in May 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://bcsoccer.net/news/post/bc-soccer-officially-launches-league1-british-columbia|title=BC Soccer officially launches League1 British Columbia|date=October 5, 2021|work=BC Soccer|access-date=October 5, 2021|archive-date=April 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404014334/https://www.bcsoccer.net/news/post/bc-soccer-officially-launches-league1-british-columbia|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/league1-bc-officially-announced-launching-next-year/|title=League1 BC Officially Announced, Launching Next Year|first=John|last=Jacques|date=October 5, 2021|work=Northern Tribune}} The inaugural league began on May 22, with the Championship Final occurring on August 1 (British Columbia Day), with seven clubs participating in the first season.{{Cite tweet|number=1492236541460041731|user=League1BC|title=100 DAY COUNTDOWN! League1BC kicks off its inaugural season on May 22, 2022!}}{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/league1-bc-facts/|date=October 6, 2021|first=John|last=Jacques|work=Northern Tribune|title=Six Big Things To Know About League1 BC}} It was announced that with the creation of the league, the Juan de Fuca Plate, which was previously awarded to the top BC-based Premier Development League team in head-to-head matches, would now be awarded to the League1 BC club that accrued the greatest number of points across both the men's and women's divisions in an aggregate table.{{cite web|url=http://www.juandefucaplate.ca/?page_id=166 |title=About the Juan de Fuca Plate|work=Juan de Fuca Plate|accessdate=July 10, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://49-sport.com/2022/07/09/l1bcjuly9/|title=L1BC Weekend Preview and Power Rankings|date=July 9, 2022|work=49 Sport|first=Ben|last=Steiner}} In addition, a cedar trophy was created to be awarded to both the men's and women's division champions.{{cite web|url=https://bcsoccer.net/news/post/league1-bc-presented-by-hall-unveils-trophies-for-august-1st-finals|title=League1 BC presented by HALL unveils trophies for August 1st Finals|date=July 27, 2022|work=BC Soccer}} In November 2022, it was confirmed that the league winner would qualify for the following season's Canadian Championship, the national cup tournament.{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/canadian-championship-league1-bc/|title=League1 BC Announced As New Entrant In Canadian Championship|date=November 3, 2022|first=John|last=Jacques|work=Northern Tribune}} For the 2023 season, the league announced its first expansion club (Harbourside FC) bringing the league up to eight clubs.{{cite web|url=https://league1bc.ca/video/league1-bc-welcomes-harbourside-football-club-as-newest-license-holder-and-first-ever-expansion-team|title=League1 BC welcomes Harbourside Football Club as newest license holder, and first ever expansion team|date=October 19, 2022|work=League1 BC}}

On December 1, 2023, Canadian Soccer Business acquired L1BC from BC Soccer. CSB have owned League1 Ontario since 2018 and now oversee the day-to-day operations of both leagues.{{cite web |title=League1 BC acquired by Canadian Soccer Business |url=https://canpl.ca/article/league1-bc-acquired-by-canadian-soccer-business |website=Canadian Premier League |access-date=2 December 2023 |date=1 December 2023}} For the 2024 season, another expansion club joined, however, two original clubs withdrew from the league, bringing the total back to seven. For 2025, two additional clubs joined, bringing the league to nine clubs.{{cite web|url=https://vancouverfc.canpl.ca/article/no-longer-the-white-brick-road-league1-bc-providing-pathways-for-aspiring-local-players|title=No longer the “White Brick Road”: League1 BC providing pathways for aspiring local players|date=August 3, 2024|work=Vancouver FC}}

Competition format

The L1BC regular season lasts approximately two months, from late May to late July. Teams play each other team home and away for a total of 12 matches in 2022. The regular season champion and runner-up advance to a single match final where the winner is crowned finals champion.

Results

=By year=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;"

|+ League1 BC trophy winners

!rowspan = 2 width="40"|Season

!rowspan=2|Teams

!colspan=2|Men's division

!colspan=2|Women's division

!rowspan=2|Juan de Fuca Plate

style="width:160px;"|League champions

! style="width:160px;"|Regular season winner

! style="width:160px;"|League champions

! style="width:160px;"|Regular season winner

2022

|7

| {{nowrap|TSS Rovers FC}}

| {{nowrap|Varsity FC}}

| {{nowrap|Whitecaps FC Girls Elite}}

| {{nowrap|Varsity FC}}

| {{nowrap|Varsity FC}}

2023

|8

| {{nowrap|Whitecaps FC Academy}}

| {{nowrap|Victoria Highlanders FC}}

| {{nowrap|Whitecaps FC Girls Elite}}

| {{nowrap|Whitecaps FC Girls Elite}}

| {{nowrap|Whitecaps FC Academy}}

2024

|7

| {{nowrap|TSS Rovers FC}}

| {{nowrap|TSS Rovers FC}}

| {{nowrap|Whitecaps FC Girls Elite}}

| {{nowrap|Whitecaps FC Girls Elite}}

| {{nowrap|Whitecaps FC Academy}}

=By club=

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+Titles won by L1BC clubs

! rowspan="2" | Club

! colspan="4" | Combined

! colspan="3" | Men

! colspan="4" | Women

{{abbr|LC|League championship}}

! {{abbr|RS|Regular season}}

! {{abbr|IP|Inter-provincial championship}}

! Total

! {{abbr|LC|League championship}}

! {{abbr|RS|Regular season}}

! Total

! {{abbr|LC|League championship}}

! {{abbr|RS|Regular season}}

! {{abbr|IP|Inter-provincial championship}}

! Total

Whitecaps FC Academy

| 4

217

| 1

{{n/a|–}}1

| 3

216
Varsity FC

| {{n/a|–}}

2{{n/a|–}}2

| {{n/a|–}}

11

| {{n/a|–}}

1{{n/a|–}}1
TSS Rovers FC

| 2

1{{n/a|–}}3

| 2

13

| {{n/a|–}}

{{n/a|–}}{{n/a|–}}{{n/a|–}}
Victoria Highlanders FC

| {{n/a|–}}

1{{n/a|–}}1

| {{n/a|–}}

11

| {{n/a|–}}

{{n/a|–}}{{n/a|–}}{{n/a|–}}

Note: This table only includes titles within the League1 Canada system.

Clubs

=Current teams=

Nine teams are members of the league, of which six are based in Greater Vancouver, one on Vancouver Island, and one in the province's interior. All teams compete in both the men's and women's divisions of the league.{{cite web |title=League1 BC |url=https://league1bc.ca/ |website=League1 British Columbia}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left"
TeamCityStadiumFirst season
Altitude FC

| North Vancouver

| Kinsmen Field South

| align="center" | 2022

Burnaby FC

| Burnaby

| Burnaby Lake Sports Complex West

| align="center" | 2024

Evolution FC

| Coquitlam

| Percy Perry Stadium

| align="center" | 2025

Langley United

| Langley

| Willoughby Community Park

| align="center" | 2025

Kamloops United FC{{efn|Kamloops United FC was known as Rivers FC from 2022 to 2024}}

| Kamloops

| Hillside Stadium

| align="center" | 2022

Nanaimo United FC{{efn|Nanaimo United FC was known as Harbourside FC from 2023 to 2024}}

| Nanaimo

| Nanaimo District Secondary School

| align="center" | 2023

TSS Rovers FC

| Burnaby

| Swangard Stadium

| align="center" | 2022

Unity FC

| Surrey

| Cloverdale Athletic Park

| align="center" | 2022

Whitecaps FC Academy

| Vancouver (UBC Campus){{efn|name=fn1|Based on the campus of the University of British Columbia. The campus is part of the unincorporated Metro Vancouver Electoral Area A and is located just west of the City of Vancouver proper.}}

| Thunderbird Stadium

| align="center" | 2022

{{notelist}}

{{Location map+|British Columbia|width=400 |float=left|caption=Location of teams for the 2025 League1 BC season.
10px Current teams
10px See Metro Vancouver inset|places=

{{Location map~|British Columbia |lat=49.166 |long=-123.9400 |label=Nanaimo |position=left |mark=Cyan pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|British Columbia |lat=50.6696 |long=-120.3670 |label=Kamloops |position=right |mark=Cyan pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|British Columbia |lat=49.3280 |long=-123.0827 |label=Metro Vancouver |position=top |mark=Dot-yellow.svg}}

}}

{{Location map+|CAN BC Greater Vancouver|width=400 |float=center|caption=Location of Men's Division teams in Metro Vancouver for the 2025 League1 British Columbia season.
10px Current team

|places=

{{Location map~|CAN BC Greater Vancouver||lat=49.2582 |long=-123.2433 |background=#EEEEE0 |label=Whitecaps |position=top|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|CAN BC Greater Vancouver||lat=49.2307 |long=-123.0215 |background=#EEEEE0 |label=TSS Rovers |position=bottom|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|CAN BC Greater Vancouver||lat=49.3260 |long=-123.0826 |background=#EEEEE0 |label=Altitude |position=right|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|CAN BC Greater Vancouver||lat=49.2526 |long=-122.9687 |background=#EEEEE0 |label=Burnaby FC |position=top|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|CAN BC Greater Vancouver||lat=49.2886 |long=-122.787 |background=#EEEEE0 |label=Evolution |position=top|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|CAN BC Greater Vancouver||lat=49.1438 |long=-122.6656 |background=#EEEEE0 |label=Langley |position=top|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|CAN BC Greater Vancouver||lat=49.1173 |long=-122.7522 |background=#EEEEE0 |label=Unity |position=top|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}

}}

{{clear}}

= Timeline =

DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy

ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:25

PlotArea = left:20 right:20 bottom:20 top:20

Period = from:2022 till:2025

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

AlignBars = justify

Colors = id:barcolor

id:line value:pink

id:bg value:white

id:Active value:blue

id:Former value:gray(0.3)

id:Future value:rgb(0.897,0.698,0.698)

PlotData=

width:20 textcolor:white shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:m

bar:1 color:Active from:01/01/2022 till:end text:Altitude FC

bar:2 color:Active from:01/01/2022 till:12/31/2024 text:Rivers FC

bar:2 color:Active from:01/01/2025 till:end text:Kamloops United FC

bar:3 color:Active from:01/01/2022 till:end text:TSS Rovers

bar:4 color:Active from:01/01/2022 till:end text:Unity FC

bar:5 color:Former from:01/01/2022 till:12/31/2022 text:Varsity FC

bar:5 color:Former from:01/01/2023 till:12/31/2023 text:Nautsa’mawt FC

bar:6 color:Former from:01/01/2022 till:12/31/2023 text:Victoria Highlanders

bar:7 color:Active from:01/01/2022 till:end text:Whitecaps Academy

bar:8 color:Active from:01/01/2023 till:12/31/2024 text:Harbourside FC

bar:8 color:Active from:01/01/2025 till:end text:Nanaimo United FC

bar:9 color:Active from:01/01/2024 till:end text:Burnaby FC

bar:10 color:Active from:01/01/2025 till:end text:Evolution FC

bar:11 color:Active from:01/01/2025 till:end text:Langley United

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:2022

TextData =

fontsize:L

textcolor:black

pos:(0,30) tabs:(400-center)

text:

=Former teams=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left"
TeamCityStadiumFirst seasonLast season
Nautsa’mawt FC{{efn|Nautsa’mawt FC was known as Varsity FC in 2022}}

| UBC Campus{{efn|name=fn1|Based on the campus of the University of British Columbia. The campus is part of the unincorporated Metro Vancouver Electoral Area A and is located just west of the City of Vancouver proper.}}

| Thunderbird Stadium

| align="center" | 2022

| align="center" | 2023

Victoria Highlanders FC

| Saanich

| Centennial Stadium

| align="center" | 2022

| align="center" | 2023

{{notelist}}

L1BC clubs in other competitions

{{col-start}}

{{col-2}}

=Men=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
SeasonClubCompetitionResult{{abbr|Record|Wins, draws (including matches that go to penalties), losses.}}
2022

| colspan="4"| No competition held

2023

| TSS Rovers FC

| Canadian Championship

| Quarter-finals

| 1–0–1

2024

| TSS Rovers FC{{efn|Victoria Highlanders FC originally qualified but withdrew before the tournament began.}}

| Canadian Championship

| Preliminary round

| 0–1–0

2025

| TSS Rovers FC

| Canadian Championship

| TBD

| TBD

{{notelist}}

{{col-2}}

=Women=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
SeasonClubCompetitionResult{{abbr|Record|Wins, draws (including matches that go to penalties), losses.}}
2022

| Varsity FC

| Interprovincial Championship

| 4th

| 0–1–1{{efn|The 1 draw was a penalty shoot-out loss.}}

rowspan=3| 2023

| rowspan=2|Whitecaps FC Girls Elite

| Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup

| bgcolor=gold| W

| 1–3–1{{efn|The 3 draws include 2 penalty shoot-out wins in the knockout stages.}}

Inter-provincial Championship

| bgcolor=gold| W

| 2–0–0

Unity FC

| Inter-provincial Championship

| 3rd

| 1–0–1

2024

| Whitecaps FC Girls Elite

| Inter-provincial Championship

| bgcolor=gold| W

| 1–1–0{{efn|The 1 draw was a penalty shoot-out win.}}

{{notelist}}

{{col-end}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}