The Ligue de soccer élite du Québec (English: Quebec Elite Soccer League) is the top amateur league in Quebec, operating at a level below the semi-professional Première Ligue de soccer du Québec. It operates a number of youth and gender specific divisions and is operated by the Fédération du Soccer du Québec.[1]
The senior men's division is composed of a 1st Division and 2nd Division. There is promotion and relegation between division 1 and 2, between division 2 and regional AA leagues. The senior female division consists of a single division.
History
Soccer in Quebec before the formation of the LSEQ was spread between various different senior and junior leagues throughout the province.[2] In 1992, the different rival leagues such as the LMSJQ, LMSSQ and Quebec National Soccer League (LNSQ) merged in order to form the Ligue de soccer élite du Québec (LSEQ).[3] The league was initially structured with two divisions with a promotion and relegation system with Ira Turetsky as the inaugural league president.[3] In 1993, five of the former LNSQ clubs Corfinium St-Leonard, Cosmos de LaSalle, Luso Stars Mont-Royal, Montreal Croatia, and Montreal Ramblers joined the Canadian National Soccer League (CNSL) to form the league's Eastern Division.[4][5]
Organization
The senior men's division is composed of a 1st Division and 2nd Division. There is promotion and relegation between division 1 and 2, between division 2 and regional AA leagues. The senior female division consists of a single division. The league also runs, U-15, U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19, and U-21 divisions for both genders. The season runs from early May to late September, and is followed by playoffs that take place in October, which determine the Quebec champion for each division. Promotion and relegation exists between the various divisions.
The caliber of the LSÉQ is identified as "AAA", that is to say the highest level in Quebec. The "AA" caliber corresponds to regional leagues, and the "A" caliber to recreational or local leagues.[6]
