EOSL Promotion & Relegation Policy - 2024

General
The goal of this policy is to ensure that every team within the EODSA and SOSA is placed at the appropriate level of competition. That is generally accomplished by ensuring that the lowest level of play has the highest number of teams, decreasing the number of teams in each level above it. To this end, the EOSL will restrict the number of teams in each Regional division to 8 at U14 to U18, with 7 EODSA teams and 1 SOSA team in each Regional division.

Regional level soccer is under the jurisdiction of Ontario Soccer who has the right to approve or decline any Regional placement if it is outside of these rules.

Clubs eligible for promotion will receive an offer from the EOSL not later than October 15th of the playing season and will be required to declare their intentions with respect to the promotion within 14 days after the offer is made. Clubs will be provided 7 days to respond to any additional promotion offers that are made. Clubs have declined the initial offers.
Each Club is limited to a maximum of two regional teams.

When a Team Must Accept Promotion to Regional:

1. First place District C1 teams that are ten points clear of the second-place team
2. Teams that are the District C1 champions in two consecutive seasons

Where a playoff is required to break a the in the standings where promotion eligibility is at stake, the game will be played under the conditions specified in the tie-breaker procedures of the EOSL’s Rules and Regulations.

If either or both teams that are required to play a tie breaker-game fail to do so within the timelines established by the EOSL, the Team(s) will forfeit their eligibility for promotion in the subsequent season.

Promotion/Relegation

U13 Placements – EODSA Clubs
Clubs will enter teams into U13 Regional based on their internal Club determination. If the number of teams entered is greater than 10, then the EOSL LMC may restrict teams based on team results in the previous playing season. The EODSA will keep internal standings at U12. SOSA will not enter teams at U13.

U14 to U18

EODSA Teams
The following steps will be taken to determine team placements for EODSA teams.

1. The first and second place District C1 teams from EODSA will be offered promotion into the Regional division.
2. If promotion is declined, the offer of promotion will be extended to the next team if the team is within six points of the last originally eligible Club to qualify for promotion.
3. If there are more than 7 teams in a regional division, enough EODSA teams will be relegated to reduce the number of EODSA teams to a maximum of 7 teams.
4. If a vacancy remains in a regional division, then any additional teams from EOSL C1 will be offered promotion to Regional to increase the number of EODSA teams to 7, if the team is within six points of the last originally eligible team to qualify for promotion.
5. The EOSL LMC will review any additional team applications that do not fall within this policy and may at its sole discretion make a request to Ontario Soccer to approve a Regional team spot to an eligible team, within the 7-team limit.
6. If there are still fewer than 7 EODSA teams in Regional, then the EOSL LMC may, at its sole discretion, decide to relegate fewer EODSA teams from the previous season’s Regional division.

Once the EOSL is advised that the Club is disbanding or withdrawing its application for a team for which it had a spot, the EOSL may, at its sole discretion, assign the forfeited spot to any other eligible team in accordance with this policy.

SOSA Teams
SOSA teams will be assigned to EOSL Regional Divisions based on the recommendation of SOSA Staff and Board, and with the agreement of the EOSL LMC.

SOSA teams may move between different Regional divisions as their specific geographic location requires.