8 May 2010

Montreal added to MLS

9:33 am on 8 May 2010

Montreal will be admitted to North America's Major League Soccer competition from 2012.

Montreal will become the league's 19th team and the third from Canada, joining Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps, one of two news clubs starting up next season.

Owned by Canadian businessman Joey Saputo and his family and playing as Montreal Impact currently in a temporary second-tier competition, Montreal have been linked with a move to the MLS for a number of years.

The MLS began with 10 teams in 1993 then increased to 12 in 1998 but two clubs dropped out in 2002 when attendance began to fall and teams were under financial pressure.

The league has been steadily increasing ever since and the MLS is expected to add a 20th team for 2012 with several US cities already expressing interest.