A Look At All 2025 Canadian Championship Opening Matches

With a rhythmic hum, the spotlights of knockout cup action are whirring to life north of the border.

The 2025 Canadian Championship will be the country’s largest iteration of the tournament yet, with 15 clubs fighting to hoist the Voyageurs Cup and earn qualification to Champions Cup heights.

The Vancouver Whitecaps are, amazingly, going for a four-peat. They’re the only team with a bye past the preliminary round.

Last night’s draw for it was superb, delivering tantalizing opening round matchups from coast-to-coast. The opening round is a single leg affair, so it’s do-or-die right off the bat.

Let’s take a look at what’s on the menu:

Valour FC (CPL) vs TSS Rovers (League1 BC)

This match makes the cup fan’s mouth water for a multitude of reasons: there’s the allure of a semi-professional team potentially providing an upset, and there’s the reality that the Rovers have already made it happen against Valour in the past.

The League1 BC side has been an absolute powerhouse in provincial semi-pro ranks, but a Valour side in desperate need of brighter days will come in unbelievably hungry. After losing out to their repeat semi-pro opposition in 2023, they lost 7-0 to Atletico Ottawa this year. This is a statement match, and what better time for the club to finally host a knockout cup game.

The winner will take on a Vancouver Whitecaps side going for a four-peat in total cup dominance, so whoever takes the preliminary round still has a mountain to climb regardless.

Pacific FC (CPL) vs Vancouver FC (CPL)

The Salish Sea Derby will dock early next season, delivering the first-ever derby cup match between the Canadian Premier League’s two British Columbian entrants.

Pacific will enter as favourites after reaching the semi-final stage this year and, of course, being the only of the two to reach league playoffs this season – though their roster is in for a lot of purposeful retooling heading in to 2025.

Vancouver FC will board the ferry knowing they’re still winless following their first two preliminary round matches, but perhaps the third time is the charm. Historically, they’ve actually had the edge over the Tridents to claim five wins in eight matches, so don’t sleep on the Eagles.

Cavalry FC (CPL) vs Edmonton Scottish SC (League1 AB)

 For the first time ever, we’ve got the League1 Alberta champion entering the fray – and how appropriate that an Edmontonian side immediately draws the reigning champions over in Calgary? The Battle of Alberta is back, eh?

Cavalry will come in hot after revving up their engines in continental play against Pumas prior, with the reigning CPL champions having also stood tall against even MLS opposition in this tournament before. Suffice to say, they’re a substantial hurdle for the visiting minnows.

Still, Edmonton Scottish count former Eddies lads like Marcus Velado-Tsegaye and Chance Carter amongst their ranks, along with intriguing CPL-adjacent faces like Ali Yildiz.

This is going to be a fun one to watch.

Scrosoppi FC (League1 Ontario) vs Atletico Ottawa (CPL)

Head coach John Yacou will hope to keep a star-studded League1 Ontario roster intact as the semi-pro side hosts professional visitors from the nation’s capital.

Former Halifax striker Tomasz Skublak has been fire in a bottle for the team, scoring 12 goals en route to their cup qualification. Beyond the goals, they’ve showed a tactical cutting edge that Atletico Ottawa won’t take lightly.

Ottleti will enter the match on a fairly clean slate with a new head coach, so the club will still be finding its feet under a new system – expect a starting eleven that won’t take any chances here.

York United (CPL) vs FC Laval (League1 Quebec)

After last year’s League1 Quebec entrants knocked out Halifax, York United will enter this match with both eyes open – especially given their first-ever Canadian Championship match came against a semi-pro team from Quebec, and it nearly went to penalties.

Mauro Eustaquio will lead a much-transformed Nine Stripes roster into the match for his first taste of knockout football as the lead man. Last season was the only time they’ve ever lost in the opening round, and the new owners are fully aware of what progressing in the tournament can do for club’s stature.

FC Laval have tasted the tournament before, falling three-nil to Forge last year, but they’ve shown a lot of grit to get themselves back into the tournament not long after. We know La Belle Province has untapped talent worthy of the pro ranks, and they’ll be hungry to spotlight themselves here.

Toronto FC (MLS) vs CF Montreal (MLS)

Uh oh, could it be? The 401 Derby will see one of these Major League Soccer rivals fall at the first hurdle, immediately eliminating one of the top three clubs in the competition.

Given that the tournament has perhaps the most direct and plausible root for Champions Cup qualification, this red and blue clash will bring a fiery tempo between two teams who have absolutely no love for eachother.

Toronto FC will enter following an absolutely disastrous MLS season, though they still reached the cup final last year. CF Montreal were knocked out by Forge, but in league play they did reach playoff wild card stage – and on a smidgeon of TFC’s budget, too.

Get the popcorn ready for this one: it’ll be heated.

Forge FC (CPL) vs Halifax Wanderers (CPL)

Make no mistake about it: no CPL team looks more dangerous in big game cup action than Forge. The hammers dunked CF Montreal out of the tournament last season and weren’t far off from doing the same to runners-up Toronto FC.

Conversely, Halifax suffered defeat to a semi-professional side last year, and Patrice Gheisar’s prior season also opened with a cup loss to Ottawa. Suffice to say, he’ll be hungry for a win in the cup – something that last came to him with Vaughan, when he defeated his current team in one of the legs.

With the Wanderers already making some big moves to bounce back and Forge looking to keep the bulk of a sterling roster, this’ll be an intriguing tie to close out the opening round – especially with the winner advancing to face either Toronto FC or CF Montreal.

Header Image Photo Credit: Tom Ewasiuk / AFTN