A number of highly attractive exhibition games including teams from overseas will be an important feature of the CPSL’s approach to the upcoming 2006 season.

Agreement has been reached for Clyde FC of the Scottish first division and SC Angrense of the Portuguese League to play against CPSL opposition during May. The visit of other high profile clubs is being negotiated.

Clyde FC has a storied past in U.K. soccer going back to its formation in 1878 and is today considered one of the more attractive teams to watch in Scotland.  The team from the Greater Glasgow area defeated Celtic in Scottish Cup competition on January 8 and sits fifth in the first division. Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city located on both sides of the River Clyde, from which the team derived its name. The Scottish team will play two games in Canada – one against the CPSL All Stars at Esther Shiner Stadium on Sunday afternoon, May 7 and this will follow a clash with Border Stars at Windsor Stadium two days earlier on Friday evening, May 5. Last season, a CPSL Select side met Rangers of Scotland at Varsity Stadium on July 9, a game won 5-1 by the Scots following a scoreless tie at halftime.

SC Angrense, a team from the Portuguese third division was formed in 1929 and is  located in the Azores. They will be here to play a game with Portuguese Toronto Supra of the CPSL’s new International Division at Brockton Stadium in Toronto’s west end on Sunday afternoon, May 21 at 7.15 pm. Angrense is the latest in a number of Portuguse teams to visit southern Ontario in recent years, including visits by  Belenenses, Maritimo and Boavista for games against Supra and one visit by Porto in 2004.

There will be an abundance of upcoming local exhibitions featuring CPSL teams, including a series of games throughout southern Ontario announced by new entry Serbian White Eagles. These include a clash with the USL first division team Toronto Lynx at The Soccer Centre on Saturday evening, May 6. That’s a 6 pm start. North York Astros have announced an Easter weekend friendly with Woodbridge Italia of the Ontario Soccer League on Easter Sunday, April 16 at 3 pm and a game to really look for will be a Toronto Croatia vs. Brampton Stallions all-CPSL encounter on Saturday, April 29, a 5 o’clock kickoff at Huron Park in Mississauga. This is a benefit game in aid of Epilepsy Mississauga, an all-ticket affair in good demand and tickets can be purchased for $10 from Franca of Village Orthodontics at  (905) 275-8501 x 229 or Lynda of Epilepsy Mississauga at (905) 803-0526.

The CPSL kicks off its ninth season with a league opener Friday, May 19 with Open Canada Cup Preliminary Round games scheduled for that Victoria Day weekend, May 20-22. The season will run through to the end of September, to be followed by the playoffs and the CPSL Championship mid-October. Oakville Blue Devils are the defending champions, while Border Stars are the current Open Canada Cup holders.