Matchweek 20 will conclude on Canada's east coast with the Wanderers welcoming Cavalry to their ground for the first time in 2026.

The two Alberta-based contests between the clubs have already been played, with Cavalry taking a 2-0 victory in early June, while Halifax responded the following month, managing a strong 1-1 draw.

How Halifax enter the match

For the Wanderers, Monday's match kicks off a crucial month of September after the side struggled in August. After a draw against Forge to open the month, the Nova Scotian side lost three away matches in the span of 22 days, with their only victory coming at home against a struggling Inter Toronto side. Most recently, the side suffered a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Pacific to give the Tridents their first win in over a year.

Halifax currently sit sixth in the CPL table on 5 wins, 5 draws, and 10 losses, and will need to make up a seven-point deficit over their last eight matches in order to have a chance at postseason qualification. A home win against the league leaders would constitute a tremendous boost to their mathematical chances and confidence heading into the final stretch of the season.

How Cavalry enter the match

Cavalry come into Monday's action undefeated in six outings and sit at the top of the table on level matches played for the first time since the early weeks of the campaign. Most recently, the Cavs claimed a 1-0 victory over Vancouver FC thanks to a goal from Bradley Kamdem Fewo.

Cavalry's recent form has been partially aided by an extended homestand that has seen them play seven of their last eleven matches at home. The Cavs will play five away matches in the next six weeks, with Monday's fixture beginning what will be a critical stretch of play in their CPL Shield hopes.

U21 minutes

Halifax have surpassed their U21 minutes requirement for 2026. Led by midfielder Lucas Olguin and defender Francesco Troisi, the Wanderers have fielded the second most U21 minutes in the league, narrowly trailing Atletico Ottawa.

Cavalry's U21 minutes will quickly become a focus as the 2026 season nears its end. As the squad looks set to return to the CPL playoffs, they are still 465 minutes short of the season-long requirement. As a loan player, Adam Pearlman can only contribute 1,000 minutes toward the squad's total, a figure he has already well surpassed. This means that James McGlinchey, who made his first professional start last weekend, Niko Myroniuk, and goalkeeper Joe Holliday will need to factor into the Cavalry lineup enough to push the side over the 2,000-minute threshold.

Availability

On loan from Vancouver Whitecaps, Nelson Pierre made his Wanderers debut last week, playing the final 30 minutes of their loss to Pacific and managing one shot. Monday could mark his first start with the Wanderers, especially since other teams have struggled so mightily to score against the Cavs' league-leading defence.

Levi Laing is the only confirmed absence for the visitors. The 23-year-old defender has been in and out of Cavalry's lineup all season, but has been impactful in his eight starts and several substitute appearances. Goteh Ntignee has returned to training for the Cavs, but is unlikely to reclaim his starting role so soon after a prolonged absence. If selected for the matchday roster, expect the speedy winger to be available from the bench.

Projected XIs

Halifax Wanderers (4-2-3-1): Marco Carducci; Ryan Telfer, Finn Linder, Thomas Meilleur-Giguere, Jefferson Alphonse; Sven Zitman, Lucas Olguin; Adonijah Reid, Isaiah Johnston, Lorenzo Callegari (c); Nelson Pierre

Cavalry FC (4-2-3-1): Nathan Ingham; Bradley Kamdem Fewo, Daan Klomp (c), Amer Didic, Adam Pearlman; James McGlinchey, Harry Paton; Nathaniel Edwards, Tobias Warschewski, Owen Antoniuk; Caniggia Elva

Game information and how to watch

📆 Monday, September 7, 2026
⏰ 4:00 pm AT / 1:00 pm MT
📺 TSN, OneSoccer
🧑‍⚖️ Scott Bowman
🏟 Wanderers Grounds, Halifax, Canada