2026 Canadian Premier League season
Professional soccer league season
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The 2026 Canadian Premier League season is the eighth season of the Canadian Premier League, the top men's professional level of the Canadian Soccer Association's league system. Atlético Ottawa are the defending champions and Forge FC are the CPL Shield holders.
October 28 – November 22 (playoffs)
| Season | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | April 4 – October 25 (regular season) October 28 – November 22 (playoffs) |
| Matches | 16 |
| Goals | 39 (2.44 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Julian Altobelli Tomasz Skublak (3 goals each) |
| Biggest home win | Inter Toronto 4–1 Atlético Ottawa (May 1) |
| Highest scoring | Pacific FC 2–3 Supra du Québec (April 11) Inter Toronto 4–1 Atlético Ottawa (May 1) |
| Longest losing run | 3 matches Vancouver FC (April 4 – April 19) |
← 2025 2027 →
All statistics correct as of May 1, 2026. | |
Rule changes
The league is the first senior competition in the world to trial a new version of the offside rule, where offside is only called when there is "clear daylight" between the attacker and the last defender, following proposals from FIFA Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger.[1] The proposed trial was approved by the IFAB in February 2026.[2] The league is also implementing football video support (FVS).[3] To enhance match tempo and reduce time wasting, rules changes such as a five-second countdown on throw-ins and goal kicks, ten seconds to leave the field for a substitution, and a one minute holdout period to return from an injury, are also being implemented.[4][5][6] The playoff structure was reduced from five to four teams, returning to the format used in 2022.
Roster rule changes
The CPL's total player compensation budget was increased by $33,500 to a total of $1,217,500 (or $1,337,500 for teams maximizing the U-21 salary incentive).[7] A U-22 salary incentive known as the "U-21 Graduate Provision" was introduced this season. Players who are in their age-22 season and have spent at least two years with their club will have only 80% of their salary count towards the compensation budget.[8]
Beginning in 2026, teams can now designate a third U-18 domestic player under the Exceptional Young Talent (EYT) rule. Players on EYT contracts do not occupy a roster spot or count towards the player compensation budget.[9]
Teams
Eight teams are competing in the 2026 season with the debut of FC Supra du Québec, and the dissolution of Valour FC.[10][11] Inter Toronto FC is playing its first season after being renamed, having previously competed as York9 FC and more recently York United FC.[12]
Stadiums and locations
| Club | Results | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlético Ottawa | details | Ottawa, Ontario | TD Place Stadium | 24,000 |
| Cavalry FC | details | Foothills County, Alberta | ATCO Field | 6,000 |
| Forge FC | details | Hamilton, Ontario | Hamilton Stadium | 23,218 |
| HFX Wanderers FC | details | Halifax, Nova Scotia | Wanderers Grounds | 7,500 |
| Inter Toronto FC | details | Toronto, Ontario | York Lions Stadium | 4,000 |
| Pacific FC | details | Langford, British Columbia | Starlight Stadium | 6,000 |
| FC Supra du Québec | details | Laval, Quebec | Stade Boréale | 5,581 |
| Vancouver FC | details | Langley, British Columbia | Willoughby Community Park | 6,560 |
Coaching changes
| Team | Outgoing coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming coach | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC Supra du Québec | N/A (inaugural season) | Pre-season |  Nicholas Razzaghi |
October 30, 2025[13] | ||
| HFX Wanderers FC | Patrice Gheisar |
Contract expiration | October 24, 2025[14] |  Vanni Sartini |
December 10, 2025[15] | |
Regular season
Format
The regular season is played as a quadruple round-robin, with each team playing the other seven teams twice at home and twice away between April and October.
The regular season winner will be awarded the regular season title – the CPL Shield, and qualify for Round one of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The top four teams qualify for the playoffs.
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forge FC | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 10 | Playoffs and 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup |
| 2 | Inter Toronto | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 8 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Cavalry FC | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 8 | |
| 4 | FC Supra du Québec | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 6 | |
| 5 | HFX Wanderers | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 5 | |
| 6 | Atlético Ottawa | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | −6 | 4 | |
| 7 | Pacific FC | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 1 | |
| 8 | Vancouver FC | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 1 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Total number of wins; 3) Head-to-head; 4) Goal differential; 5) Goals for; 6) Away goals differential; 7) Away goals for; 8) Home goals differential; 9) Home goals for; 10) Fewest disciplinary points; 11) Most under-21 domestic player minutes; 12) Drawing of lots.[9]
Results
Positions by match week
= Playoffs
Playoffs
The 2026 playoffs will feature four teams. There will be a pair of two-leg semifinals followed by a single match final hosted by the highest seeded team remaining to crown the league champion, who collect the North Star Cup, and qualify for the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup.[16]
In the playoffs, if the aggregate scores are equal at the end of normal time of the second match, or end of the single match for the final, two 15 minute periods of extra time are played with each team allowed an extra substitution. If still tied, the winner is decided by a penalty shoot-out.[9]
If a team completes the 'Double', that is, the regular season winner also won the 2026 CPL final, then the second-highest seeded regular season team would qualify for the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup.[9]
Bracket
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| |||||||||
| First place | ||||||||||
| Fourth place | ||||||||||
| Higher seed | ||||||||||
| Lower seed | ||||||||||
| Second place | ||||||||||
| Third place | ||||||||||
Statistical leaders
- As of May 1, 2026
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[17] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Julian Altobelli |
Inter Toronto | 3 |
| Tomasz Skublak |
Inter Toronto | ||
| 3 | Isaiah Johnston |
HFX Wanderers | 2 |
 Daan Klomp |
Cavalry | ||
| Harry Paton |
Cavalry | ||
| Brian Wright |
Forge | ||
| 7 | 24 players | 1 | |
Top assists
| Rank | Player | Club | Assists[17] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah Johnston |
HFX Wanderers | 2 |
| 2 | 19 players | 1 | |
Clean sheets
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets[17] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Dimitry Bertaud |
Forge | 4 |
| 2 | Marco Carducci |
HFX Wanderers | 1 |
| Nathan Ingham |
Cavalry | ||
 Garissone Innocent |
Atlético Ottawa | ||
 Diego Urtiaga |
Inter Toronto | ||
Attendance
- As of April 30, 2026
| Pos | Team | Total | High | Low | Median | Average | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HFX Wanderers | 5,888 | 5,888 | 5,888 | 5,888 | 5,888 | −8.8% |
| 2 | Atlético Ottawa | 5,259 | 5,259 | 5,259 | 5,259 | 5,259 | +11.8% |
| 3 | Forge FC | 9,712 | 5,534 | 4,178 | 4,856 | 4,856 | −29.9% |
| 4 | FC Supra du Québec | 8,768 | 4,965 | 3,803 | 4,384 | 4,384 | n/a |
| 5 | Cavalry FC | 6,568 | 3,567 | 3,001 | 3,284 | 3,284 | −23.1% |
| 6 | Pacific FC | 8,896 | 3,383 | 2,151 | 3,362 | 2,965 | +0.1% |
| 7 | Vancouver FC | 5,436 | 3,528 | 1,908 | 2,718 | 2,718 | +95.7% |
| 8 | Inter Toronto | 4,151 | 2,589 | 1,562 | 2,075.5 | 2,076 | +1.0% |
| League total | 54,678 | 5,888 | 1,562 | 3,528 | 3,645 | −8.8% |
Awards
Team of the Week
| Team of the Week | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week | Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards | Ref |
| 1 |
|
|
[18] | ||
| 2 |
|
[19] | |||
| 3 |
|
|
|
[20] | |
| 4 |
|
|
|
[21] | |
Player transfers
CPL–U Sports Draft
The 2026 CPL–U Sports Draft took place on November 28, 2025.[22] Sixteen Canadian university student-athletes were selected by Canadian Premier League clubs over two rounds.
Foreign players
Canadian Premier League teams can sign a maximum of seven international players, out of which only five can be in the starting line-up for each match.[23]
The following international players were signed for the 2026 season. To be considered domestic for CPL purposes, players must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, refugees, or foreign players with at least three seasons spent in the league. Note that these players may still represent other countries in international competitions.[9]
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | Player 4 | Player 5 | Player 6 | Player 7 | Inactive players[a] | Former players |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlético Ottawa | Juan Castro |
 Roni Mbomio |
Garissone Innocent |
Jonantan Villal |
Emiliano García |
Daniel Aguilar |
 Erling Myklebust |
||
| Cavalry |  Levi Laing |
 Curtis Ofori |
|||||||
| Forge |  Nana Opoku Ampomah |
 Rezart Rama |
 Marko Jevremović |
Ismael Oketokoun |
 Antoine Batisse |
Dimitry Bertaud |
|||
| HFX Wanderers | Yohan Baï |
 Jason Bahamboula |
Miguel Arilla |
Sven Zitman |
Victor Akinwale |
 Cyprian Kachwele |
|||
| Inter Toronto | Oswaldo León |
Diego Urtiaga |
Raúl López |
 Ariel Almagro |
 Béni Badibanga |
 Sebastián Gonzales |
Carlos Guzmán |
||
| Pacific |  Juan Quintana |
 Lukas Browning Lagerfeldt |
Diego Konincks |
 Bul Juach |
 Taras Gomulka |
||||
| FC Supra | |||||||||
| Vancouver | Abdoulaye Ouattara |
 Luis Toomey |
 Mohamed Amissi |
Isak Ssewankambo |
Lys Mousset |
 Vitor Lucas |
 Aboubacar Traore |
Michel Cavalcante |
Players in italic denote players who were new to their respective clubs for the 2026 season, sorted chronologically by their announcement. Players in bold indicate players who have represented their national teams at the senior level.
Notes
- Players who remain under contract but have suffered season-ending injury and may not return to play. They do not count towards roster or cap restrictions and as such can be replaced by another foreign player.