According to the Canada Soccer’s rules for sanctioned USL teams that have MLS parent clubs, there is a requirement to give more than half of the available minutes to Canadian players.

What does that mean? TFCII and WFC2 — affiliated with Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps, respectively — are required to give an average of 540 minutes per game of playing time to Canadians over the course of the season.

Nearly halfway through their 32-games USL schedules, TFCII and the WFC2 aren’t at the 540-minute target. The Whitecap’ affiliate isn’t that far off, at 474 minutes per game through 14 games, so there isn’t really a need to set off the warning bells, yet.

But, in TFC’s case, there should be some cause for concern. The Reds’ affiliate is just under 400 minutes per game. TFCII has played 15 games already. So, to get to the 540-minute average by the end of the season, the team will need to give Canadians an average of about 700 minutes per game over the final 17 matches of the season.

That’s a big ask. It’s doable; but with each passing week that TFCII fields a team that falls short of 540 Canadian minutes, the hole gets a bit deeper.

Canada Soccer issued the following statement:



“Teams are monitored by Canada Soccer throughout the season to ensure that they are respecting the conditions of sanction to play in a cross-border league. We acknowledge that various factors have to be considered on a game-by-game basis and work with the teams in ensuring that Canadian content is adhered to over the playing season.”

The Montreal Impact have an affiliation agreement with the USL’s Ottawa Fury — but the Fury is regarded as an independent club.