✍️ Baltej Bining

The 2026 Canadian Premier League season is just around the corner.

April 4 marks the start of the CPL's eighth season, with eight sides across the country vying to lift the title, some for the first time and others looking to add to their trophy cabinets.

While Valour FC unfortunately folded during the offseason, a new club has arrived to take their place. FC Supra enter the league looking to shake up the CPL with their Quebec-exclusive squad under Nicholas Razzaghi.

But what is the defining question hanging over each of the eight clubs heading into the new season? Let's take a look.

Atlético Ottawa

Heading into this season as the reigning champions of the league, Ottawa were involved in the first round of the Concacaf Champions Cup, but were dismantled by MLS opposition Nashville SC after a 2-0 loss at home and a 5-0 loss away.

Atlético Ottawa saw significant squad turnover heading into the new season. David Rodríguez, Sam Salter, Nathan Ingham, Amer Didić, Kevin Santos, and Aboubacar Sissoko were among the bigger departures, while Brett Levis and Alberto Zapater both retired. In came Rony Mbomio, Erling Myklebust, Kamron Habibullah, Wesley Timóteo, and Jonantán Villal, among others.

But the defining question for Ottawa is straightforward: can they replace the creativity and output of Rodríguez and Salter? Both were electric in 2025, with the midfielder contributing 14 goals and 11 assists and the striker an extraordinary 25 goals. Those numbers are not easily replicated, but if two players can collectively manage even half of what that pair produced, Ottawa would remain a genuine threat.

On a like-for-like basis, Myklebust and Villal are the most natural successors given their positions. But the player who could do the most damage is attacker Ballou Tabla, whom Ottawa managed to retain despite reported interest from FC Supra. Twelve goals and five assists across all competitions are no small contributions, and the 26-year-old is my pick for Ottawa's Player of the Year in 2026.

Cavalry FC

After winning the 2024 edition, Cavalry fell short in 2025 in that iconic 2-1 loss to Atlético Ottawa.

Despite losing Marco Carducci, Fraser Aird, Shamit Shome, Nicolas Wähling, and Mihail Gherasimencov, Cavalry has addressed their departures well. Nathan Ingham, Amer Didić, Adam Pearlman, Curtis Ofori, and Harry Paton are among the more notable arrivals, while key figures such as Tobias Warschewski, Ali Musse, Daan Klomp, Sergio Camargo, and Eryk Kobza have all been retained.

So what is their biggest question heading into 2026? How do you get the best out of Goteh Ntignee?

Ntignee is a fascinating prospect. The 23-year-old enters his fourth season with the Cavs and his second since returning from Annecy FC, and while he has shown glimpses of his potential, the numbers have not quite backed up his quality, with just six goals and four assists in 36 matches. It is not a poor return, but it falls short of what his ability suggests he is capable of.

With Ali Musse, Tobias Warschewski, and Sergio Camargo all posting double-digit goal contributions, Ntignee's career-high of six contributions stands out as an area for improvement. If he can produce a breakout season in the mould of Ballou Tabla last year, Cavalry would become a genuinely dangerous side not just in CPL play, but in the Canadian Championship as well.

FC Supra du Québec

Canada's newest professional side makes its debut in a couple of weeks. Their inaugural season will be led by Nicholas Razzaghi, who previously managed CS Saint-Laurent from 2023 to 2025.

Supra have made some impressive signings, with marquee additions such as David Choinière, Sean Rea, and Diyadienne Abzi headlining the new club. Aboubacar Sissoko, Clément Bayiha, Keesean Ferdinand, Loïc Kwemi, Bakary Kaboré, and Alessandro Biello are among the other notable arrivals.

So what is the biggest question facing Nicholas Razzaghi's side? How do you avoid a difficult first year like those before you?

FC Supra are the third expansion side to join the Canadian Premier League, following Atlético Ottawa in 2020 and Vancouver FC in 2023. If their inaugural seasons taught fans anything, it is that both sides struggled out of the gate, with each finishing seventh in their first year, though Ottawa's campaign was shortened due to COVID-19.

If history is anything to go by, FC Supra may follow the same path. That said, their squad looks capable of competing for a playoff spot, and with the CPL as unpredictable as ever, the trend may not necessarily continue. Time will tell, but there is plenty to look forward to when Supra take to the field in 2026.

Forge FC

Arguably the best side in the league, Forge enter the season off the back of a remarkable regular season, having claimed the CPL Shield with 58 points before being knocked out by Cavalry 2-1 in Calgary. They have also started their season courtesy of the first round of the Concacaf Champions Cup, playing to a 0-0 draw at home against Tigres before the Mexicans dispatched them 4-1 in Mexico.

Some of their more well-known departures came in the hands of Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson, Jassem Koleilat, Chris Kalongo, David Choinière, and Alessandro Hojabrpour. They did go ahead and sign Dimitry Bertaud and Antoine Batisse, while securing the returns of Kevaughn Tavernier and Daniel Krutzen, with the latter coming out of retirement. They also retained their core players, such as Tristan Borges, Kyle Bekker, Brian Wright, and several others.

What is Forge's biggest question heading into the season? Can they still maintain their high standards?

In their seven CPL seasons, Forge have topped the league on four separate occasions and claimed the title four times as well. The Hammers know how to win, having lifted at least one trophy every single season. But with the league improving considerably across the board, the question of whether this is finally the year Forge goes trophyless is a fair one to ask.

That said, you cannot overlook the man in the dugout. Bobby Smyrniotis continues to be the only coach in the club's history, and he is there for a reason. It would be a surprise to see Forge finish empty-handed, but if there were ever a season for the trophy streak to end, this would be the one.

Halifax Wanderers FC

Few clubs in the league make for more compelling viewing than the HFX Wanderers. Watching Halifax is virtually guaranteed to entertain, making them one of the more enjoyable sides for the neutral CPL fan and a club easy to root for.

The Wanderers were the only side in the league to make a coaching change this offseason, parting ways with Patrice Gheisar and bringing in Vanni Sartini, arguably the biggest name to take on a head coaching role in Canadian Premier League history.

While they let go of Tiago Coimbra, Sean Rea, Rayane Yesli, Wesley Timóteo, Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé, Alessandro Biello, and Adam Pearlman, they did sign some reinforcements in Marco Carducci, Marcus Godinho, Finn Linder, Victor Akinwale, and Francesco Troisi, also acquiring WFC2 forward and Tanzanian international Cyprian Kachwele on a season-long loan. Vanni Sartini has some good options to use as he looks to lead this HFX side to its first-ever trophy.

Their biggest question, then, is who steps up to fill the considerable void left by Tiago Coimbra.

Coimbra was immense for Halifax, recording 13 goals and three assists in just 23 matches. The concern is that their second-highest scorer was a defender, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, who chipped in with four goals, a fine return for a centre-back but a worrying figure for a team's second-leading scorer across an entire season.

The numbers make it clear that Gheisar's Halifax leaned heavily on Coimbra for their attacking output, but with the Brazilian-Canadian now plying his trade in Sweden, the question of who steps up for Sartini is a pressing one. Asking a single player to replicate 13 goals in a 28-match season is a tall order, but several players pitching in with six to ten goals each could collectively fill that gap. Cyprian Kachwele, Victor Akinwale, Yohan Baï, and Tavio Ciccarelli are among those who could answer the call.

In a new era under Sartini, getting this question answered quickly will be crucial. Fail to do so, and Halifax could find themselves in real trouble.

Inter Toronto FC

After a 2025 season that saw them eliminate the Halifax Wanderers before Cavalry ended their season in the playoffs, York United have rebranded to Inter Toronto FC, their third identity since joining the league back in 2019 as York9 FC, as the ambitious club targets its first-ever North Star Cup.

Among the departures were Shaan Hundal, Adonijah Reid, Elijah Adekugbe, Massimo Ferrin, Diego Urtiaga, Leonel López, and Riley Ferrazzo. Inter Toronto moved to address the losses with the signings of Ollie Bassett, Béni Badibanga, Raúl López, Ariel Almagro, Carlos Guzmán, and Juan Córdova ahead of the 2026 season.

The biggest question for Inter Toronto? Can Shola Jimoh become more than just a super-substitute?

The soon-to-be 18-year-old enters his third professional season having recorded no goals and four assists across 919 minutes and 23 appearances, including seven starts. They are decent numbers for a youngster who made his unofficial CanMNT debut in January, but there is a growing expectation for Jimoh to establish himself more firmly in Canada's professional league. With many tipping him as a future standout at both club and international level, the first step is a breakout year under Mauro Eustáquio, one that sees him graduate from explosive bench option to genuine starter.

Having managed just 11 starts across his first two professional seasons, Jimoh has no shortage of supporters willing him on, neutrals and rival fans included. So is 2026 finally the year we see Shola Jimoh truly announce himself?

Pacific FC

A club many fans and pundits have written off, Pacific FC look to bounce back in 2026 after their worst-ever season, finishing seventh and being knocked out of the Canadian Championship in the first round by Vancouver FC, the only club to finish below them in the league.

Among the notable departures were Aly Ndom, Dario Zanatta, Georges Mukumbilwa, and Sean Young, while Taras Gomulka, Diego Konincks, and Bul Juach have joined the club. Club legend Alejandro Díaz has also returned on a permanent transfer following last season's loan from Vancouver FC.

Pacific's biggest question? How do you get the best out of a squad that, to put it plainly, lacks quality compared to the rest of the league?

With minimal signings and no clear midfield replacement for either Young or Ndom, this is shaping up to be another difficult year for The Tridents. There are still some decent names in the side, among them Marco Bustos, Kadin Chung, Aidan Daniels, Alejandro Díaz, Christian Greco-Taylor, Josh Heard, Sami Keshavarz, Ronan Kratt, and Yann Toualy, but comparing this roster to others in the league, it could be a long season for James Merriman and his players.

Someone has to finish last, and Pacific looks the most likely candidate for the wooden spoon. I would love to be proved wrong, but there are serious doubts surrounding this side, and struggling against university opposition in pre-season is hardly an encouraging sign.

Vancouver FC

Vancouver FC have been nothing but chaos since their inception back in 2023, both on and off the pitch, as they are being sued by former head coach Afshin Ghotbi stemming from a financial dispute.

They were Canadian Championship finalists despite finishing dead last in the CPL standings, as their cup heroics earned them a spot in this year's Concacaf Champions Cup. That would, unfortunately, end in a tough defeat, with Cruz Azul handing them an 8-0 aggregate loss across two legs, with the home match ending in a 3-0 defeat.

Key departures include Juan Batista, Kunle Dada-Luke, Alejandro Díaz, Vasco Fry, Pathé Ndiaye, Hugo Mbongue, Jay Herdman, and David Norman Jr., but Vancouver FC have brought in some strong names to compensate, with Luis Toomey, Damiano Pecille, Morey Doner, Marcello Polisi, and Tom Field all joining the club. The biggest arrival, though, and potentially the most marquee signing in league history, is former Premier League striker Lys Mousset.

Vancouver's biggest question? Can they finally make the playoffs and shed the label of a bottom-feeder club?

The Eagles have not made much of an impression in CPL play so far. Despite last year's Canadian Championship run, that does not erase a mediocre league record, with back-to-back seventh-place finishes followed by an eighth-place finish in 2025. They remain the only side with at least one season of CPL football yet to qualify for the playoffs.

With the reinforcements brought in and the continental experience gained against Cruz Azul, this looks like their best opportunity yet to make a real statement and secure a playoff spot. The squad appears capable, but now it comes down to how Martin Nash sets up his side and the tactics he deploys.

In conclusion

The 2026 Canadian Premier League season is shaping up to be the best one yet. With a World Cup year providing the perfect backdrop, there has never been a better time to reach new fans, and the quality across the league has risen considerably, with some exciting talents ready to make their mark.

Now is the time to tune in and support your local side, or simply sit back and enjoy the ride as a neutral. Canadian football fans have plenty to look forward to, and the CPL season is a big part of that.

The action gets underway this Saturday, with Forge FC hosting Atlético Ottawa at Hamilton Stadium, kicking off at 12:00 pm ET / 9:00 am PT. Later that evening, Vancouver FC and the Halifax Wanderers meet at Willoughby Community Park, with kickoff set for 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET.