2025 Canadian Premier League Season Preview: Everything You Need to Know

The 2025 Canadian Premier League season marks the seventh edition of the country’s top-tier soccer competition — a young league that continues to expand its footprint. Since its founding in 2019, the CPL has aimed to elevate domestic football, now featuring eight clubs across five provinces. Teams play a 28-match regular season before entering a playoff format to crown the national champion. Top performers also earn spots in international competitions such as the CONCACAF Champions Cup. This season will be the last before a planned expansion set to usher in a new era for the league.

How the Season Works

CPL 2025 follows a single-table format, where each of the eight clubs faces every other team four times — twice at home, twice away — across a balanced 28-game schedule running from April to October. The team finishing first in the regular season lifts the CPL Shield and secures direct entry into the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

The top five teams advance to the playoffs. The first and second seeds face off in a semifinal match, with the winner earning home-field advantage in the final. Meanwhile, the fourth and fifth-place finishers play a “play-in” game, and the winner of that clash meets the third-place team in a quarterfinal. That winner then challenges the loser of the 1st vs 2nd semifinal for the remaining spot in the final.

All playoff rounds are single-elimination, with extra time and penalties deciding matches if necessary. The campaign kicks off on April 5, as Atlético Ottawa hosts Halifax Wanderers, and concludes in November with a neutral-site final.

The Eight Clubs to Watch

The league spans five provinces, with Ontario home to three teams and British Columbia to two. Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia are each represented by one club. Forge FC and York United FC remain fierce local rivals in what’s known as the “905 Derby.”

Atlético Ottawa

After a semifinal exit in 2024, Atlético Ottawa enters 2025 aiming higher under manager Diego Mejía. Despite losing key players like Ollie Bassett, the club bolstered its squad with a blend of youth and international experience. New arrivals include New Zealand forward Monty Patterson and a quartet of Mexican talents from Atlético San Luis. With mainstays like Ballou Tabla and veteran Alberto Zapater, Ottawa is set to challenge for silverware.

Halifax Wanderers FC

Halifax missed the playoffs last year but has rebuilt with ambition. The club lost several cornerstones, including goalkeeper Yann Fillion and top scorers Dan Nimick and Massimo Ferrin. Their replacements include promising additions like Brazilian striker Tiago Coimbra and French winger Jason Bahamboula. The midfield features rising names like Lorenzo Callegari and Sean Rea. Halifax looks to bring energy and identity to a fresh campaign.

York United FC

Now under head coach Mauro Eustáquio, York enters 2025 with a renewed sense of direction. The team reached the playoffs for the first time in 2024, and while losing attackers Brian Wright and Mo Babouli, York brought in familiar faces like Massimo Ferrin and exciting prospects such as Shola Jimoh. Mexican defender Oswaldo León joins on loan from Monterrey to shore up the backline.

Forge FC

The most decorated club in CPL history, Forge FC is still hungry after falling in the 2024 final to Cavalry FC. The Hamilton-based side kept key veterans like Kyle Bekker and added attacking depth by bringing in Wright and Babouli from York. With four league titles in six seasons, Forge remains a powerhouse.

Valour FC

Despite finishing bottom of the table last year, Valour FC showed improvement late in the season. Coach Phillip Dos Santos returns with a more complete squad featuring returning attackers Shaan Hundal and Kian Williams. Their Portuguese midfield trio adds creativity, while the defense is bolstered by Rocco Romeo and Zachary Fernandez. This could be the year Valour finally breaks through.

Pacific FC

Always playoff contenders, Pacific FC is aiming for a bounce-back year after an underwhelming 2024 attack. To solve that, they’ve re-signed club legends Marco Bustos and Kadin Chung and added new firepower with Mexican forward Emanuel Montejano. The 2021 champions have retooled with a better mix of youth and experience.

Vancouver FC

Entering their third season, Vancouver FC has their sights set on a first-ever playoff berth. With proven CPL veterans like Terran Campbell and Alejandro Díaz in the attack and strong leadership from coach Afshin Ghotbi, they’re poised to be 2025’s dark horse. A blend of veterans and young Canadian talent makes them a team to watch.

Cavalry FC

Reigning champions Cavalry FC return with their eyes on a domestic double. After finally clinching the North Star Cup in front of a home crowd, they’ve kept most of their core intact. German striker Tobias Warschewski remains the star, though they’ll need to replace the steady presence of defender Daan Klomp. Coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. has built a title-hardened team capable of repeating.