Today, it’s all come down to the wire in the Canadian Premier League.
With the final four league matches set to kick off at the same this afternoon, none of the top five positions will be nailed down until the final whistle.
First and second place remains locked in a two-horse race between Forge and Atletico Ottawa, while the third, fourth, and fifth positions – all of which have huge playoff ramifications – could land between Cavalry, Halifax, and York United in any order.
With so much on the line, each club will be fighting for every inch, and that’s great for spectators from coast-to-coast and beyond.
Photo Credit: John Jacques
Perennial title contender Forge FC is in the driver’s seat, resting two points ahead of Atletico Ottawa with a favourable tie-breaker should it come down head-to-head results. They host rivals York United in what is sure to be a fiery 905 Derby, especially with the Nine Stripes needing a strong result if they’re to rise from fifth to potentially as high as third.
As self-assured as ever, the Forge social media accounts have already posted about adding to their trophy cabinet and have planned a CPL Shield trophy lift after the match they haven’t won yet, cockily adding more spice to the moment in the face of their rivals.
York United’s lowest-possible finish of fifth place doesn’t get the team a home playoff match and has the toughest postseason path, playing a Wednesday match against the fourth before taking on a well-rested third seed the next weekend. Suffice to say, both sides enter the still-unbranded Hamilton Stadium with plenty at stake.
If Forge cops up a loss and Atletico Ottawa wins their road trip to Halifax, Atletico Ottawa would scoop the CPL Shield and host the semi-final play-in. It would mark their second-ever regular season championship and, beyond that, Atletico Ottawa striker Samuel Salter might just become the first CPL player to score twenty goals in the regular season at this moment.
The CPL Shield clincher will also get passage to the 2026 Canadian Championship Cup, joining Vancouver FC and the playoff winner there (or handing it to a runner-up if the CPL shield clincher also wins playoffs.
For the backend of the season, the top spot has been wrestled solely between Forge and Atletico Ottawa, but at least by sunset tonight we’ll know how the cards have been dealt. Diego Mejia says Forge have the history, but his own team have been the best – and with much younger legs. Bekker fired back that somebody had to do the talking, but tonight it’s the action on the pitch that’ll do that.
Photo Credit: Canadian Premier League
Atletico Ottawa’s host Halifax, however, is ending strong and could potentially finish with a club record number of wins should they fend off their visitors from the nation’s capital. Patrice Gheisar will be keen to add a few more goals in what has already been the league’s highest-scoring season.
Reigning champions Cavalry FC will be hoping to lock the third spot in league standings, and they’ll be traveling to lowly Vancouver FC – though the Eagles are finishing the year quite strongly, reaching a Canadian Championship Final with interim boss Martin Nash more than doubling their points-per-game. As of late, one cannot sleep on Vancouver FC, or they’ll be punished.
The only match playing for pride will be Pacific FC and Valour FC, who both suffered relatively dismal seasons and are firmly out of playoff contention. If anything, this is a match of head coaches fighting to end on a high amid some uncertainty in their positions next year. With Valour boss Phil Dos Santos saying that ‘some cycles are meant to come to an end’, it’s sounding like a farewell for the club’s second-ever head coach.
All-told, The Outcome is an absolute ripper this year: with the top five still undecided, the action should come thick and fast – particularly in the winding moments, as inevitable news of scorelines elsewhere press clubs into action. Last season was described as an absolute bloodbath for the fifth and final playoff spot, and this year’s positional uncertainty will only amplify that feeling.
Fans can tune in on OneSoccer, fuboTV, and TSN to catch the action, with the final four regular season matches all kicking off simultaneously.
Header Image Photo Credit: Denys Rudenko
