[1][2][3] From 1960 to 1961, the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League (ECPSL) operated in the country, at times attracting crowds of around 10,000 spectators.

[1] From 1968 to 1984, the US-based North American Soccer League (NASL), a top division professional league, contained two Canadian teams at its inception (the Toronto Falcons and Vancouver Royals), rising to five Canadian teams at the time of its folding - the Calgary Boomers, Edmonton Drillers, Montréal Manic, Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto Blizzard.

[5] The CSL was formed in the aftermath of Canada's participation in the 1986 World Cup finals tournament held in Mexico, for which Canada was an oddity as a country whose association was able to qualify a team despite not having a domestic professional league, or even a domestically based professional team with the demise in 1984 of the U.S.-based North American Soccer League.

The East Division consisted of National Capital Pioneers, Hamilton Steelers, Toronto Blizzard, and the North York Rockets.

The West Division comprised the Calgary Kickers, Edmonton Brick Men, Vancouver 86ers, and the Winnipeg Fury.

[10] The league's inaugural match took place on June 7, 1987 in Aylmer, Quebec between the National Capital Pioneers and the Hamilton Steelers and finished in a 1–1 draw, in a steady drizzle, in front 2,500 spectators.

[19] In 1992, the Winnipeg Fury ended Vancouver's run, winning the final MITA Cup, before the league folded.

[21] The financial picture did not improve during the season, and with dysfunction about the most sustainable path for professional soccer, concerns about club stability – declining attendance and red ink continuing to mount in most markets, the resignation of Canadian soccer advocates such as Mario DiBartolomeo, Frank Aliaga, and Karsten von Wersebe.

[23] On October 6, 1992, the day of the CSL final, it was announced that Vancouver joined the APSL, a league trying to show the USSF it had the wherewithal, new higher standards for 1993 (financial capitalization, salary budget, $1 million operating budget, front office, coaching, market size etc.

[citation needed] Following the demise of the CSL, Canadian professional teams such as the Montreal Impact, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Toronto Lynx continued to play in US-based professional leagues, with later teams such as Toronto FC and Ottawa Fury FC forming as well.