YELLOWKNIFE — Four groups were approved for professional club membership by Soccer Canada on Saturday, paving the way for them to potentially join the Canadian Premier League.

Clubs from Halifax, Calgary, Port City, B.C., and York Region, Ont., got the seal of approval at the national governing body's annual general meeting in Yellowknife.

The Canadian Premier League was approved for league membership with Soccer Canada last year, along with clubs in Hamilton and Winnipeg.

CPL is set to debut as a professional men's soccer league in the spring of 2019, and will serve as a Tier I league.

FIFA, the sport's world governing body, still has to approve the league and its clubs.

Recognition from Canada's national association was a necessary step before that could happen.