CF Montréal took a massive step toward qualifying for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup after booking their place in the Canadian Championship final on Thursday night.
Prince Owusu scored twice in the first half as the Impact saw out the result against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the semi-final, returning to the competition's final for the first time since 2023.
With their Voyageurs Cup final spot confirmed, where they will face Canadian Premier League side Forge FC at home on October 21, CF Montréal are on the verge of a return to the continental stage. Here's what needs to happen.
1. Win the Canadian Championship
The simplest way is to defeat Forge in the final next month at home. Win the cup, and you secure a spot in the Champions Cup.
2. In the case of losing the Canadian Championship final, CF Montréal can still qualify
A Forge victory in the cup final wouldn't end Montréal's Concacaf dreams, though it would take the outcome out of their hands.
The Impact will be hoping Forge secures one of the Canadian Premier League's two Concacaf Champions Cup spots, either by winning the regular season title (four points behind Cavalry with seven games remaining), winning the playoffs, or finishing second in the CPL standings while Cavalry claim both the regular season and playoff titles. In that last scenario, one of the CPL's two spots would be passed down to the second-placed regular-season side, currently Forge.
In short, if Forge claims one of the league's two continental spots and also wins the Canadian Championship, the league berth takes priority over the cup berth, shifting the Canadian Championship spot to the runner-up, CF Montréal, and securing their place in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Should Forge win the Voyageurs Cup final over Montréal on October 21, but not secure one of the CPL's two berths to the Champions Cup, then CF Montréal would miss out on continental action once again, having last featured in the competition in 2022, when they bowed out of the quarter-finals to Mexican giants Cruz Azul.
3. Win MLS Cup
It's unlikely, but not impossible.
