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2025 Canadian Premier League season

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Canadian Premier League
Season2025
DatesApril 5 – October 18 (regular season)
October 22 – November 9 (playoffs)
Matches played7
Goals scored19 (2.71 per match)
Top goalscorerJulian Altobelli
Giorgio Probo
David Rodríguez
(2 goals each)
Biggest away winVancouver 1–4 Atlético Ottawa
(April 13)
Highest scoringVancouver 1–4 Atlético Ottawa
(April 13)
Highest attendance7,963
Forge 1–0 Cavalry
(April 5)
Lowest attendance1,435
Vancouver 0–2 York United
(April 6)
Total attendance17,939
Average attendance4,482
← 2024
2026 →
All statistics correct as of April 13, 2025.

The 2025 Canadian Premier League season is the seventh season of the Canadian Premier League, the top level of Canadian soccer. Cavalry FC are the defending champions, having defeated Forge FC in the 2024 final.[1]

Rule changes

[edit]

The CPL's total player compensation budget was increased by $69,500 to a total of $1,182,000 (or $1,282,000 for teams maximizing the U-21 salary incentive).[2][3] Beginning in 2025, players who have three seasons of CPL experience or have lived in Canada for at least three years are considered domestic players for roster purposes.[2]

Teams

[edit]
Location of the 2025 Canadian Premier League teams

The same eight teams that competed in the 2024 season are competing in the 2025 season, though this is expected to be the last season with eight teams, with expansion anticipated for 2026.[4]

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 6,500
Pacific FC details Langford, British Columbia Starlight Stadium 6,000
Valour FC details Winnipeg, Manitoba Princess Auto Stadium 32,343
Vancouver FC details Langley, British Columbia Willoughby Community Park 6,560
York United FC details Toronto, Ontario York Lions Stadium 4,000

Coaching changes

[edit]
Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming coach Date of appointment
York United Mexico Benjamín Mora[5] End of contract November 10, 2024 Pre-season Canada Mauro Eustáquio[6] November 21, 2024
Atlético Ottawa Spain Carlos González[7] Mutual consent November 21, 2024 Mexico Diego Mejía[8] January 15, 2025

Regular season

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Format

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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 (the team ranked first after all 28 games) will qualify for the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup and the top five teams will qualify for the playoffs; the top two will get byes to the first semifinal. If the regular season winner also wins the 2025 CPL Final, then the second-highest seeded team regular season will qualify for the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.[9]

Standings

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Playoff qualification
1 Forge 2 2 0 0 3 0 +3 6 First semifinal and 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup
2 Atlético Ottawa 2 1 1 0 6 3 +3 4 First semifinal
3 HFX Wanderers 2 1 1 0 4 3 +1 4 Quarterfinal
4 York United 2 1 0 1 3 2 +1 3 Play-in round
5 Pacific 2 1 0 1 2 4 −2 3
6 Cavalry 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0
7 Valour 1 0 0 1 0 2 −2 0
8 Vancouver 2 0 0 2 1 6 −5 0
Updated to match(es) played on April 13, 2025. Source: CanPL
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 (Yellow cards count for one point and red cards [direct or accumulation of two yellow cards] count as three points); 11) Most under-21 domestic player minutes; 12) Coin toss (tie between two (2) clubs) or drawing of lots (tie between three (3) or more clubs).[10]

Results

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Home \ Away ATO CAV FOR HFX PAC VAL VFC YRK
Atlético Ottawa Aug 23 Jul 13 2–2 May 3 May 10 Aug 30 Apr 19
Sep 27 Sep 21 Jul 18 Sep 6 Jun 15 Oct 12 Aug 3
Cavalry Apr 26 Aug 30 Aug 9 May 17 May 25 Apr 18 Jun 8
Jun 28 Oct 10 Sep 13 Jun 21 Sep 20 Aug 17 Jul 26
Forge May 13 1–0 Jun 8 Jul 18 Apr 19 Jul 5 Jun 29
Aug 15 May 31 Sep 6 Sep 27 Aug 2 Oct 4 Oct 18
HFX Wanderers May 24 May 10 May 3 Apr 19 Jul 1 Jun 21 Sep 1
Oct 18 Jun 14 Jul 25 Sep 20 Aug 22 Aug 4 Oct 4
Pacific Jun 7 Aug 4 0–2 Jul 12 2–0 Jun 27 May 10
Jul 26 Oct 5 May 24 Aug 16 Oct 18 Sep 13 Jun 14
Valour Aug 10 Jul 20 Jun 22 Apr 25 Jun 1 May 3 May 16
Oct 5 Jul 29 Sep 12 Oct 11 Aug 31 Jun 4 Aug 17
Vancouver 1–4 Jul 13 Jun 15 May 17 Apr 26 Jul 25 0–2
May 30 Oct 18 Aug 22 Sep 28 Aug 10 Sep 5 Sep 21
York United Jun 22 May 2 Apr 27 1–2 Aug 24 Jul 13 May 25
Sep 14 Sep 5 Aug 9 Jun 1 Oct 9 Sep 28 Jul 19
Updated to match(es) played on April 13, 2025. Source: CanPL.ca
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Positions by matchweek

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Team ╲ Week12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
Atlético Ottawa52
Cavalry66
Forge31
HFX Wanderers43
Pacific25
Valour87
Vancouver78
York United14
Updated to match(es) played on April 13, 2025. Source: CanPL As It Stands articles, CanPL standings
  = First semifinal;   = Quarterfinal;   = Play-in round

Playoffs

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The 2025 season will use the same Page playoff system as the past two seasons. The team who finishes first in the regular season table will play the team who finishes second, with the winner hosting the final. The fourth- and fifth-placed teams will play in a play-in round, and the winner will then play the third-placed team in a quarterfinal. The quarterfinal winner will then play the loser of the game between the first- and second-placed teams for the other spot in the final.[10]

In playoffs, if the scores are equal at the end of normal time, extra time will be played for two periods of 15 minutes each. If still tied, the winner will be decided by a penalty shoot-out.[10]

The winner of the final will qualify for the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Bracket

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Play-in roundFirst semifinalSecond semifinalFinal
October 25 or 26November 8 or 9
1
2November 1 or 2
Quarterfinal
October 25 or 26
October 223
4 
5 

Statistical leaders

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See also: Canadian Premier League records and statistics § Career player records
As of April 13, 2025

Top scorers

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Rank Player Club Goals[11]
1 Canada Julian Altobelli York United 2
Italy Giorgio Probo HFX Wanderers
United States David Rodríguez Atlético Ottawa
4 Sweden Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson Forge 1
Syria Mo Babouli Forge
Lebanon Gabriel Bitar York United
Canada Terran Campbell Vancouver
Canada Tiago Coimbra HFX Wanderers
Canada Khadim Kane Forge
Canada Ronan Kratt Pacific
New Zealand Monty Patterson Atlético Ottawa
Canada Sean Rea HFX Wanderers
Portugal Kévin dos Santos Atlético Ottawa
Mali Aboubacar Sissoko Atlético Ottawa
Canada Ballou Tabla Atlético Ottawa
Canada Dario Zanatta Pacific

Top assists

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Rank Player Club Assists[12]
1 Canada Elage Bah Vancouver 1
Canada Tristan Borges Forge
Mexico Juan Castro Atlético Ottawa
Canada Christian Greco-Taylor Pacific
Serbia Marko Jevremović Forge
Canada Daniel Nimick Forge
Canada Adonijah Reid York United
United States David Rodríguez Atlético Ottawa
Canada Samuel Salter Atlético Ottawa
Canada Kareem Sow HFX Wanderers
Trinidad and Tobago Ryan Telfer HFX Wanderers

Clean sheets

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Rank Player Club Clean sheets[13]
1 Czech Republic Jassem Koleilat Forge 2
2 Canada Max Anchor Pacific 1
Canada Ivan Pavela York United

Attendance

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As of April 6, 2025
Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 Forge FC 7,963 7,963 7,963 7,963 +50.8%†
2 Atlético Ottawa 5,286 5,286 5,286 5,286 −3.6%†
3 Pacific FC 3,255 3,255 3,255 3,255 +7.0%†
4 Vancouver FC 1,435 1,435 1,435 1,435 −54.6%†
5 HFX Wanderers NA†
6 Cavalry FC NA†
7 Valour FC NA†
8 York United NA†
League total 17,939 7,963 1,435 4,485 +12.7%†

Source: CanPL, LeonardFC

Awards

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Team of the Week

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The Gatorade Team of the Week was selected by the CPL's Kristian Jack and OneSoccer's Oliver Platt.

Team of the Week
Week Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards Ref
1
[14]

Player transfers

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According to FIFA, the Canadian Soccer Association's (CSA's) 2025 transfer windows for men's professional teams are open from January 31 to April 23 and from July 24 to August 21.[15]

CPL–U Sports Draft

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The 2025 CPL–U Sports Draft took place on December 5, 2024.[16]

Foreign players

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Main article: List of foreign CPL 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.[3]

The following international players were signed for the 2025 season. To be considered domestic for CPL purposes, players must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, refugees, or (new for 2025) foreign players with at least three seasons spent in the league. Note that these players may still represent other countries in international competitions.[17][18]

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Inactive players[A] Former players
Atlético Ottawa Spain Alberto Zapater Mexico Juan Castro United States David Rodríguez New Zealand Monty Patterson Mexico Iker Moreno Mexico Kevin Ortega
Cavalry Australia Jesse Daley Germany Nicolas Wähling
Forge Belgium Béni Badibanga Ghana Nana Opoku Ampomah Albania Rezart Rama Serbia Marko Jevremović
HFX Wanderers France Lorenzo Callegari Brazil Vitor Dias Italy Giorgio Probo France Yohan Baï Republic of the Congo Jason Bahamboula
Pacific Colombia Juan Quintana France Aly Ndom Brazil Daniel de Pauli Republic of Ireland Lukas Browning Lagerfeldt Portugal Pedro Machado Mexico Emanuel Montejano
Valour England Kian Williams Portugal Diogo Ressurreição Portugal Xavier Venâncio Portugal Bruno Figueiredo
Vancouver Mexico José Navarro Uganda Allan Enyou Brazil Juan Batista Brazil Michel Cavalcante France Abdoulaye Ouattara Senegal Pathe Ndiaya Uruguay Nicolás Mezquida
York United Mexico Oswaldo León Mexico Orlando Botello Mexico Diego Urtiaga

Players in italic denote players who were new to their respective clubs for the 2025 season, sorted chronologically by their announcement. Players in bold indicate players who have represented their national teams at the senior level.

Notes

  1. ^ 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.

References

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  1. ^ Hall, Vicki (November 9, 2024). "Calgary's Cavalry FC dethrones Hamilton's Forge FC for 1st-ever Canadian Premier League title". CBC Sports. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Canadian Premier League announces updates to roster rules & regulations, competitions guidelines ahead of 2025 season". Canadian Premier League. April 1, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Jacques, John (March 13, 2024). "Canadian Premier League Updates Roster Rules For 2024". Northern Tribune. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  4. ^ Gangué-Ruzic, Alexandre (November 8, 2024). "'There's not a better time to be invested in the CPL': Commissioner Mark Noonan hints at expansion plans". OneSoccer. Archived from the original on November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  5. ^ Davidson, Neil (November 10, 2024). "CPL coach of the year finalist Benjamin Mora parts ways with York United FC". CBC Sports. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  6. ^ Charlie O'Connor-Clarke (November 21, 2024). "Mauro Eustáquio named York United FC head coach; first former CPL player to earn top coaching job". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  7. ^ "Atlético Ottawa announces departure of Head Coach Carlos González". Atlético Ottawa. November 21, 2024. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  8. ^ "Atlético Ottawa's new head coach is Mexico's Diego Mejía". CBC News. January 15, 2025. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  9. ^ "Canadian Premier League announces 2025 regular season schedule presented by WestJet". Canadian Premier League. February 18, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c "2025 CPL Competition Guidelines". Canadian Premier League. April 1, 2025. Archived from the original on April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  11. ^ "2025 CPL players statistics". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  12. ^ "2025 CPL players statistics - team play". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  13. ^ "2025 CPL goalkeepers statistics". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  14. ^ "Gatorade Team of the Week 2025 (Week 1)". Canadian Premier League. April 7, 2025. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
  15. ^ "Transfer system". Inside FIFA. FIFA. January 15, 2025. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  16. ^ "Canadian Premier League Announces 2025 CPL-U Sports Draft Presented By Degree" (Press release). U Sports. October 18, 2024. Archived from the original on November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  17. ^ "CPL Off-Season Roster Tracker: Who's in and who's out for 2025?". Canadian Premier League. December 9, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  18. ^ "2025 CPL Competition Guidelines". Canadian Premier League. April 1, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
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