The Canadian Soccer League has been granted full membership in the Canadian Soccer Association, paving the way for the league to be a more significant part of the professional soccer structure in Canada.

The CSL was notified Friday when chairman Domenic Di Gironimo was called to CSA headquarters in Ottawa and the national governing body issued a news release in the afternoon.

“We are pleased to welcome the Canadian Soccer League as a member of the Canadian Soccer Association,” said Canadian Soccer Association President Dr. Dominic Maestracci in the release. “We look forward to a long and rewarding relationship as the professional game develops in Canada.”

The Canadian Soccer League was granted conditional membership by all member provinces at the CSA’s annual meeting May 2009 and the governing body has been sufficiently satisfied with the league’s progress since that time to give full approval. There will be a transition period during the upcoming 2010 season when the CSA’s professional soccer standards adopted by the league will be monitored to ensure success in the early stages of membership.

“The Canadian Soccer League is proud to play an integral part in the development of soccer and its athletes in Canada,” said CSL chairman Domenic Di Gironimo. “We will continue our commitment to build relationships and partnerships across the nation; we will continue to be sport leaders in the communities in which our teams play.”

The CSL has in recent months emphasized coast to coast expansion and the need for all member teams to partner with local youth clubs for youth development leading to professional development of players destined for professional soccer or one of Canada’s national teams.

The CSL had 10 first division teams in membership in 2009 and that will increase to at least 12 for the upcoming 2010 campaign which runs for more than five months from early May to the third week of October. A reserve division with emphasis on player development, is also part of the league. All are Canadian teams.

Canada also has three other professional teams in the professional soccer structure – Toronto FC (Major League Soccer), Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps (USL Division 1) – in membership with those leagues in the United States.