The Jubilee Trophy (French: Trophée Jubilee) is the trophy presented to Canada's women's amateur soccer champions as part of Canada Soccer's annual National Championships. The women's competition was inaugurated in 1982.[1]
As part of the same National Championships, the Challenge Trophy is presented annually to the men's amateur soccer champions. The first men's amateur competition took place in 1913. Other amateur divisions in the National Championships are: Boys U-17 Cup; Girls U-17 Cup; Boys U-15 Cup; Girls U-15 Cup.
Eight clubs have won the National Championships women's competition two or more times. Edmonton Angels are the most successful club with nine Jubilee Trophy titles to their credit (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1995, 1999, 2000).
Amateur eligibility
As Canada Soccer's premier amateur competition, only Canadian citizens, permanent residents or protected persons may compete in the National Championships.[2] Only amateur players (including reinstated amateurs) may compete in the competition and they must be assigned to their respective clubs by 31 August of that year (or an earlier date if stipulated by the province or territory).
Format and hosts
The tournament is divided into two stages; a group stage and a classification stage. In the group stage, the eight teams are divided into two groups of four teams, which then play a single-game round robin format.
At the end of the group stage, each team advances to the classification round and plays against the team from the other group with the corresponding ranking to determine overall standings for the tournament.[3]
Canadian communities have the opportunity to bid on hosting the National Championships. As explained by Canada Soccer, "events will be organized and executed by Canada Soccer in collaboration with the Local Organizing Committee."[4] Bidders are evaluated across nine different categories: Background; Support and partnerships; Facilities; Competition; Finance; Communication, hosting services & activities; Operation Organization; Legacy; and Overall Bid Presentation.
Once a Host City is selected, the hosts set up a Local Organizing Committee that stages the competition. Canada Soccer remains the "rights holder and has the overall responsibility for these events."
Hosts by province (1982 to 2024)
Host cities for the women's (Jubilee Trophy) and men's (Challenge Trophy) adult amateur competitions have mostly been the same (1985 to 1991; 1993 to present), with the exception of just a few years (1982, 1983, 1984, 1992).
Canada Soccer planned to launch their first women's National Championship in 1983, but they changed their plans and hosted their first Canadian Final in 1982.[5] That first Final featured the winners of Canada Soccer's Western and Eastern Championships, the Edmonton George's Angels and London Concorde SC, at Centennial Stadium on Saturday 6 November 1982. Edmonton won 4-0 to capture the first Canadian title.
Before women's professional soccer was established in North America, Canada Soccer's National Championships Jubilee Trophy competition featured many of Canada's best players from the 1980s and 1990s. From Canada's first National Team at the 1986 North America Cup,[6] 14 of the 16 players featured in at least one National Championships during their career. From Canada's first two FIFA World Cup teams in 1995[7] and 1999,[8] 20 of the 33 players featured in at least one National Championships before they featured at a FIFA World Cup.
With the establishment of the USL W-League and then professional leagues WUSA, WPS and the NWSL, fewer and fewer of Canada's best players have featured at the amateur National Championships. From Canada's next two FIFA World Cup teams in 2003[9] and 2007,[10] 11 of the 29 players featured in at least one National Championships before they featured at a FIFA World Cup (although six of those 11 players were teenagers at the National Championships).
From Canada's most recent FIFA World Cup team in 2023,[11] only four of the 23 players featured in at least one National Championships, albeit all of them as teenagers before their professional careers (Deanne Rose, Sophie Schmidt, Christine Sinclair and Shelina Zadorsky).
Qualifying competitions
As outlined in the tournament regulations,[2] "Provincial and Territorial Associations must advise Canada Soccer of its qualified teams" for the National Championships. Teams that feature at the National Championships are most often the provincial amateur champions.
The top-three teams at the National Championships Challenge Trophy competition are presented medals while the remaining teams are presented participation banners.[2] Along with their medals, the winning team is presented the Jubilee Trophy, although the trophy remains in Canada Soccer's possession.
