Prairies Premier League
 | |
| Organising body | Manitoba Soccer Association Saskatchewan Soccer Association |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2026 |
| First season | 2026 |
| Country | Canada |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Number of clubs | 7 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Current champions | Thunder Bay Chill (men) Bonivital Flames (women) (2026) |
| Website | https://pplsoccer.ca/ |
| Current: 2026 Prairies Premier League season | |
The Prairies Premier League (PPL) is a semi-professional men's and women's soccer league in the Canadian Prairies, featuring teams from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northern Ontario. The league is organized jointly by the Manitoba Soccer Association and the Saskatchewan Soccer Association and is sanctioned by the Canadian Soccer Association as a third division pro–am league in the Canadian soccer league system.[1]
The PPL is part of Premier Soccer Leagues Canada (PSLC), the national third tier with other regional divisions in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. Once the league is fully instituted, the men's league champion is expected to qualify for the Canadian Championship, the domestic cup championship, while the women's league champion is expected to qualify for the Women's Inter-Provincial Championship.
History
[edit]In 2021, a group of clubs from British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba organized the 2021 Summer Series, a series of friendly soccer matches played between Western Canadian soccer clubs to showcase a potential national second division. In 2022, another exhibition showcase was organized by four clubs—three from Alberta and one from Manitoba (FC Manitoba)—as an entity known as Central League1.[2] This was followed by the creation of League1 Alberta in 2023.
In June 2023, League1 Canada publicly announced that planning for a League1 Prairies was underway. The proposed league would include clubs from Manitoba and Saskatchewan and was planned to launch for the 2025 season.[3] In November 2025, the Saskatchewan Soccer Association announced plans to run a League1 Prairies exhibition series in 2026 which will lead to launching a full league in 2028.[4]
On January 27, 2026, the league was officially announced as the Prairies Premier League. The announcement coincided with a rebranding of Premier Soccer Leagues Canada (formerly League1 Canada) and its other member leagues.[5] The PPL debuted on May 10, 2026, with seven clubs across three provinces, with six teams in each of the men's and women's divisions.
Clubs
[edit]The league has five clubs fielding both men's and women's teams in the 2026 season, along with one standalone men's team and one standalone women's team. The league consists of three clubs from Saskatchewan, three from Manitoba, and one from Northwestern Ontario. In the 2026 season, six teams are competing in each of the men's and women's divisions.[6][7][8][9][10]
|
Prairies  Prairies Premier League  Metro Area |
|
- As of 2026 season
| Team | City | Stadium | Capacity | Founded | Debut | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current teams | |||||||
| Bonivital Flames | Winnipeg, MB | St. Vital Memorial Park | 1979 | 2026 | Yes | Yes | |
| FC Manitoba | Winnipeg, MB | Ralph Cantafio Soccer Complex | 2,000 | 2010 | 2026 | Yes | Yes |
| Forza Soccer Academy | Saskatoon, SK | Saskatoon Minor Football Field | 5,000 | 1921 | 2026 | Yes | No |
| Queen City United SC | Regina, SK | Leibel Field | 1,200 | 1987 | 2026 | Yes | Yes |
| Saskatchewan EXCEL | Saskatoon, SK | Saskatoon Minor Football Field | 5,000 | 2026 | 2026 | Yes | Yes |
| Thunder Bay Chill | Thunder Bay, ON | Chapples Park | 2,000 | 2000 | 2026 | Yes | Yes |
| Winnipeg Lucania FC | Winnipeg, MB | Ralph Cantafio Soccer Complex | 2,000 | 1971 | 2026 | No | Yes |
Seasons
[edit]| Season | Teams | League champions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's division | Women's division | ||
| 2026 | 6 | Thunder Bay Chill | Bonivital Flames |
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Jacques, John (January 23, 2026). "Sources: League1 Prairies To Be Announced Next Week". Northern Tribune. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
- ↑ Parkes, David (May 6, 2022). "Is A League1 Prairies In The Pipeline?". Northern Tribune.
- ↑ "League1 Canada to explore opportunity to launch League1 Prairies in 2025". June 20, 2023.
- ↑ Mahmoudi, Nelson (November 28, 2025). "EXCLUSIVE: Hassan Mowgli and the Launch of League1 Prairies". Northern Tribune. Retrieved November 29, 2025.
- ↑ "Premier Soccer Leagues Canada Unveils New Identity Reflecting the Heart of Canada's Domestic Pathway". CPL. January 27, 2026. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Season Preview: Saskatchewan EXCEL Male". Prairies Premier League. April 7, 2026. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Season Preview: Thunder Bay Chill". Prairies Premier League. April 7, 2026. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Season Preview: Forza Soccer". Prairies Premier League. April 7, 2026. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Season Preview: Lucania FC". Prairies Premier League. April 7, 2026. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Season Preview: FC Manitoba". Prairies Premier League. April 7, 2026. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
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| Men's outdoor leagues |
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