Canada Soccer takes first step on long road towards a national training centre

Canada Soccer has taken the first step down the long road to establishing a national training centre.

On Thursday, the governing body issued a “request for information,” asking municipalities, provincial and territorial soccer associations, post-secondary institutions and others to put up their hand if interested in ‘hosting or partnering” on a future high-performance training centre. 

The facility is being touted as “a cornerstone legacy project of Canada’s role in hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026.”

Peter Agruso, Canada Soccer’s president and board chair, calls it “a transformative project for Canadian soccer and sport in our country.”

Canada Soccer says the centre would be financed through a combination of FIFA’s 2026 World Cup legacy funds, federal and provincial investment, private philanthropy and corporate partnerships (including naming rights opportunities) with municipal participation through land contributions, infrastructure support, tax incentives or other value-added contributions.

There is no word yet on budget, with a Canada Soccer spokesman saying final project cost will depend on location.

The preferred footprint is 40-60 acres of “contiguous developable” land that could accommodate four to eight full-size outdoor pitches, one or more indoor or covered fields for year-round training, a small stadium, high-performance building, administrative and educational spaces, dining facilities, parking and space for future expansion including commercial, academic, hotel and hospitality or community facilities.

The site should also allow for long-term tenants such as professional or regional teams.

“Accessibility to major transportation routes and airports is essential,” the Canada Soccer brief adds. 

“International accessibility through direct or short-connection flights to major European hubs is highly preferred,” it said, citing preferred destinations like London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.

Canada Soccer, which has set a Feb. 12 deadline for interested parties to respond, calls it a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen our national sporting infrastructure.”

“We look forward to collaborating with partners who share our vision for excellence, inclusion, and innovation,” said Kevin Blue, Canada Soccer’s CEO and general secretary.

Canada is late to the national training centre party, with other countries already benefiting from such facilities.

France’s Clairefontaine, which opened in 1988, was long considered the model for football training centres. It spans 138 acres (56 hectares) and has undergone renovations over the years.

The French Football Federation has other academies across the country.

England’s teams train at St. George’s Park, which replaced fragmented training setups and older facilities like Lilleshall Halland Bisham Abbey. The 330-acre (133-hectare) site in the Staffordshire countryside has 14 outdoor pitches, including an exact replica of the Wembley surface, a full-sized Indoor pitch and a futsal arena. There is also a 228-room hotel.

Mexico opened its national training centre, know as the CAR (Centro de Alto Rendimiento) in 2003.

Located south of Mexico City, it can accommodate up to three national teams at the same time. It boasts three pitches, two half-pitches, a beach soccer pitch, gym, auditorium, press room, two hotels, and a physiotherapy and rehabilitation unit.

The Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center is scheduled to open in the spring in Fayetteville, Ga., thanks to a US$50-million contribution from Arthur Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot and owner of the NFL Atlanta Falcons and MLS’s Atlanta United.

The new facility will span 200 acres (81 hectares) and include more than a dozen soccer fields.

—

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2025