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All statistics correct as of 14 October 2024.Goals scored in penalty kicks are excluded from statistics.
The 2024 Challenge Trophy (French: Trophée Challenge 2024, branded as the Toyota National Championships for sponsorship reasons) was the 100th edition of the Challenge Trophy, an annual cup competition contested as the national championship for amateur teams in men's Canadian soccer. Ten teams participated in the tournament, which took place in Surrey, British Columbia between 9–14 October 2024.
Ontario's Gloucester Celtic FC won their third Challenge Trophy, and second in three years, after defeating Nova Scotia's Suburban FC of Bedford by a score of 1–0 in the final. This also marked the fifth consecutive appearance by an Ontario representative in the Challenge Trophy final – the longest such streak by any member association since British Columbia made six straight appearances between 1982 and 1987.
Each of Canada Soccer's thirteen member associations were invited to nominate a provincial or territorial representation team for the tournament, with teams generally earning the nomination by qualifying through a preliminary series such as a league competition, open cup, playoff, or single elimination tournament.[7] Based on the number of provincial and territorial entries received, Canada Soccer's Competition Committee determined the competition format — which in this case, also meant awarding a host and additional team entry to ensure an even number of participants and ensuring that participants play in an equal number of matches.[citation needed]
On 13 May, Canada Soccer confirmed a total of ten member associations (nine provincial, one territorial) had indicated their participation for the 2024 tournament.[8] Following two withdrawals from the competition in August 2024, the final number of provincial and territorial associations who participated in the competition was reduced to eight – with several revisions to the seeding and groups required.
Seeding and groups
Member associations were seeded according to the final classification of their representation teams in the previous year's championship, then assigned to two groups of five using a serpentine distribution method. Associations without representation in the previous year's tournament, host entries, and additional entries were then added to seeding in the order their participation in the competition was confirmed.[citation needed]
Within their groups, the teams played each other once in a single round-robin over the course of five days, with the teams receiving a bye day corresponding with their seed number (seeds 1–2 received a bye on day 5 of competition, seeds 3–4 on day 4, seeds 5–6 on day 3, and so on). The final round was held on day six of the competition, with match pairings determined by group standings.
◊ denotes new entry† and (H) denote a host entry‡ and (A) denote an additional entry
Entrants
Of the 10 teams qualified to play at the 2024 Challenge Trophy, only 2 participated at the previous tournament in 2023 in Halifax. Nova Scotia's representatives, Suburban FC of Bedford, made their 3rd appearance overall in the tournament, on the heels of a 4th-place finish in 2023. Meanwhile, Edmonton Scottish returned as Alberta's representative for an impressive 8th time in the last 11 competitions, which also marked their 13th appearance overall.[citation needed]
^Awarded Prince Edward Island's provincial championship and competition berth by acclamation.
^Awarded Yukon's territorial championship and competition berth by acclamation.
Withdrawals
New Brunswick
In early August, following the release of the preliminary schedule and groups, New Brunswick informed Canada Soccer that they would be withdrawing their entry into the competition. As a result, Yukon were elevated a position within the seeding table and placed in group A, and British Columbia were awarded an additional berth into the tournament for a host team and automatically placed in the remaining group B slot.[citation needed]
This also marked the second time New Brunswick had withdrawn from the tournament in three years, following their abandonment of the 2022 competition.
Prince Edward Island
As the tournament drew closer, Prince Edward Island informed Canada Soccer on 31 August that they too would be withdrawing their team nomination. With a second berth already awarded to British Columbia via a host team, the Competitions Committee held a draw to determine which province would be awarded an entry for an additional team into the tournament – a process which last occurred ahead of the 2016 competition.[18] This process resulted in Ontario being allotted an entry for an additional, unseeded team into the competition.
Following this withdrawal, the two finalists of the 2024 MilkUP Ontario Cup were informed of their qualification to the tournament. This meant that the Ontario representatives were determined on 31 August, as opposed to the date of their provincial final, which was scheduled for 8 September. These developments further triggered another change in seeding, with Yukon now elevated again by a position within the seeding table (remaining in group A). This also moved British Columbia's host team entry to group A, ultimately placing Ontario's additional team into group B.[citation needed]
Artificial turf field numbering and locations at Newton Athletic Park
1
Field 1
2
Field 2
4
Field 4
5
Field 5
Competition
The preliminary schedule was released by Canada Soccer on 19 August without locations or kick-off times, which were later confirmed on 6 September.[19]
Group stage
Tiebreakers
Tie-breaking criteria for group play
The following criteria is used by Canada Soccer to determine group standings:
Greater number of points across all group matches
If two (2) teams are tied in points across all group matches
Greater number of points in matches between the two (2) tied teams (head-to-head competition)
Greater goal difference across all group matches
Greater number of goals for across all group matches
^"Canada Soccer Announces Hosts of the 2022–24 Toyota National Championships". sirc.ca (Press release). Sport Information Resource Centre. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2024. In 2024, Quinte West, ON will host the U-15 Cup, Cape Breton, NS will host the U-17 Cup and Surrey, BC will host the Jubilee/Challenge Trophy competitions.
^"St. John's 2016 draw opens door for second Alberta team". canadasoccer.com. Canadian Soccer Association. 9 July 2016. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2024. The second Alberta entry was confirmed after a draw at the Canada Soccer offices following the withdrawal of Northwest Territories entry.
^"Match Schedules Confirmed for the Toyota National Championships". Canada Soccer. 6 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024. Canada Soccer has confirmed the match schedules for the 2024 Toyota National Championships that will take place this October for the men's Challenge Trophy and women's Jubilee Trophy in Surrey, British Columbia.
West Ottawa Warriors
Coquitlam Metro-Ford SC 
Québec
Nova Scotia
Alberta
Manitoba
Prince Edward Island
Newfoundland and Labrador
New Brunswick
Yukon
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