Edmonton soccer fans won’t get a kick out of this: Canadian Premier League commissioner Mark Noonan says the CPL board of governors has voted to terminate Fath Sports Ltd.’s right to operate FC Edmonton effective immediately.
The CPL made the announcement Monday, saying the team had the league’s worst fan attendance and the lowest revenue.
Noonan also said the team had a lacklustre performance in the standings despite incremental league investment. The club won only four out of its 28 matches in 2022.
The future of the team had been murky since the CPL took over the operation of the Eddies from owners Tom and Dave Fath in December 2021. FC Edmonton was forced to spend the 2022 CPL season fielding players on loan from rival clubs while operating on a shoestring budget.
“I have made it clear since I became commissioner that we need certain conditions in each of our markets for our clubs to be successful on and off the field,” said Noonan.
“The die-hard supporters and soccer community of Edmonton deserve better.”
He said the CPL is currently in talks with “world-class” ownership groups about bringing a new franchise to Edmonton “when more favourable conditions can be established in the market.”
Noonan also brought up Clarke Stadium, located just south of Commonwealth Stadium, in the announcement — he said it is outdated and not suitable for the team.
“We look forward to working with the City of Edmonton leadership on a strategy to return CPL to the market in an appropriate facility,” Noonan said. “With the right venue, we fully believe Edmonton can, and should, be one of the best markets in the CPL.”
READ MORE: FC Edmonton’s future increasingly murky as CPL season comes to a close
Noonan said he is optimistic about the future of Canada’s top domestic professional league as it looks to expand into six prospective markets.