The club that produces Canada's soccer stars has doubts over its future

TORONTO, July 9 : The city of Brampton in Ontario produced key members of the Canadian men's national World Cup soccer squad. But the loss of a storied local club's provincial license about a year before Canada hosted the World Cup, confirmed to Reuters by current and former club members, has raised concerns about its future — and that of Canadian soccer.

The Brampton Soccer Club was once home to players including former captain Atiba Hutchinson and current players Cyle Larin, Jonathan Osorio, and Tajon Buchanan, among others.

But last year it lost its Ontario Player Development League license (OPDL), which some in the local soccer world say is blocking the traditional pipeline to the national team.

That could stymie soccer, a nascent sport in a country better known for ice hockey, right as it is on the cusp of transformation, with local players having a shot at the elite European leagues, they say.

"So here is the thing, you have the town producing the best soccer talent in the country, and on the other hand, you have its soccer club that can't even get its administrative act together," said Chrys Chrysanthou, a former Brampton resident and former coach of Canadian midfielder Buchanan.

Amal Chauhan, CEO of the rival Burlington Soccer Club, said the pathway for talent in Brampton to reach the provincial and national level was broken and local players have been searching for other clubs to join. Brampton Soccer Club's failure to keep its OPDL license will prevent local players from competing at the provincial level, which later helps them grab a spot on the national team, Chauhan said. 

Paula Phillips, executive director of the Brampton Soccer Club, told Reuters the club is not required to have an OPDL license, citing the cost