Laval, February 27, 2025 – The next soccer season is fast approaching, and Soccer Québec is unveiling today its new structure for the provincial senior leagues (LS PRO). Ligue1 Québec will be back this year, and it will be accompanied by younger brothers and sisters, as Ligue 2 and Ligue 3, as well as the Espoirs League, are added to the senior soccer offering. Another novelty is making its appearance for the new season, as the concept of promotion and relegation will bring a new aspect to the competition.
“We are pleased to unveil today a new structure, but above all, a new vision for senior soccer in Quebec. The enthusiasm for soccer is on the rise, and with the 2026 World Cup coming to North America, the timing is perfect to offer fans of our sport high-caliber competition. I invite everyone to discover the LS PRO product that Soccer Québec will be offering this summer on the fields,” said Jean-Nicolas Gagné, General Manager of Soccer Québec.
Creation of Ligue 2, Ligue 3, and the Espoirs League
The men’s provincial senior leagues will consist of four leagues. First, Ligue1 Québec, which will return this year with 10 teams, followed by Ligue 2 with 24 teams, and Ligue 3 with 16 teams from all regions of Quebec. In addition, an Espoirs U19+ League is being created. The reserve teams of Ligue1 Québec and Ligue 2 will play in this new league.
On the women’s side, 11 Ligue1 Québec teams will compete for the trophy or try to avoid relegation. There will also be a Women’s Ligue 2 with 19 teams, which, like the Ligue1 Québec teams, will have reserve teams in the new Espoirs League, which at the women’s level will be U21+.
“The arrival of Ligue 2 and Ligue 3 will bring a more coherent competition structure and provide a flagship for clubs, which we are convinced will inspire young players to continue their development in their club with the hope of one day playing in their LS PRO team,” believes Valerio Gazzola, Director of Development at Soccer Québec.
It should be noted that the addition of the “+” in the case of the men’s U19+ and women’s U21+ in the Espoirs League means that the teams playing in these championships will be allowed to have a maximum of 4 players older than the age category concerned per game. For the 2025 season, the league will have 30 teams in men’s U19+ and 18 teams in women’s U21+.
Promotion and relegation: new stakes for teams
The introduction of the principle of promotion and relegation in senior soccer involving Ligue1 Québec is a novelty. Although common in European championships, this aspect will bring its share of challenges for teams playing in LS PRO. A team that wins its league championship could therefore be propelled to the higher league! And conversely, a bad season could cause the team to drop to the lower league.
“For teams participating in the championships, promotion and relegation will bring a greater degree of competition that will allow them to have stakes until the very end of their season,” according to Yannick Guégano, Director of Competitions at Soccer Québec.
A new management team for the LS PRO
Soccer Québec announces that a new team will be at the service of the LS PRO senior teams. Indeed, Damien Berger is the new commissioner whose mandate is to increase the visibility of teams, players in the leagues, welcome new partners and ensure the application of the expected standards for the LS PRO. He will be accompanied in his work by the team of the competitions department.
“I am very happy to arrive at a time when the provincial senior leagues are entering a new era. We wish to make the LS PRO a true flagship for Québec soccer and offer the best players an exceptional showcase that could lead them to professional leagues,” hopes Damien Berger, the new commissioner of the LS PRO.