Here’s How EAFC 26 Rates Former CPL Players

It’s September, and that means it’s EAFC time yet again.

The biggest EA Sports release of the year will see millions of gamers jump in and start assembling their Ultimate Teams and career mode dreams, and while the Canadian Premier League still isn’t in the game, several former CPL athletes have still found their way onto the digital pitch through the virtue of transfer movement.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the 17 players we’ve found rostered in FC26:

Atletico Ottawa / Cavalry FC – Malcom Shaw (57)

Hot off the heels of a Canadian Premier League title win, Malcolm Shaw cemented a move to Irish top flight side Galway United this summer. Having tallied ten appearances, the Trinidad and Tobago international is still waiting to build his momentum abroad, though he’s always felt that goals and success will come throughout his career.

Shaw spent three seasons in the nation’s capital with Atletico Ottawa before Tommy Wheeldon Jr brought him over to Cavalry for the club’s championship-winning campaign. He’s played in Sweden and Turkey before, but Galway United might be the toughest nut he’s yet to crack abroad – but he’ll need to start netting goals if he wants to crack a sixty overall rating.

Atletico Ottawa / Valour FC – Matteo de Brienne (63)

Flash goes zoom, and then gets added into FC26.

For the first-time ever, Ottawa native Matteo de Brienne can see a digital avatar of himself in-game, with the speedy left-back representing the colours of Swedish top flight side GAIS. Known for his bombing runs down the flanks with Atletico Ottawa and Valour, the 23-year-old has a surprisingly modest 73 pace rating – but watch out for that four-star left foot!

Cavalry FC – Aribim Pepple (57)

Aribim Pepple is back in the game after undergoing no less than five loans from Luton Town, with the striker completing a summertime transfer to League One side Plymouth Argyle for an undisclosed fee. Pepple’s initial move from Cavalry came when he was in red hot record-breaking form, though the goals haven’t consistently come whilst over in England.

Having first been introduced to the game in FIFA 23 with a 57 back then as well, Pepple is still feeling out his true potential, and getting first team football with the Pilgrims seems a good path to finding his level. He had a 71 rating future potential when he was added to the game at 19, so it’ll be interesting to see if the real Bim still has plenty of room to grow, too.

Cavalry FC – Joel Waterman (68)

The first-ever CPL-to-MLS transfer has ticked up by one point overall from last year’s launch rating, with Chicago Fire centre-back Joel Waterman finally hitting 68. With the defender having just bagged his first goal for the side, finally getting a year-over-year increase isn’t a bad way to celebrate.

The former Cavalry defender retains his Long Ball pass trait, boasting a strong 74 physicality and 68 defending. Outside of that, his best attribute is – you guessed it – his long passing at 73. As a strong silver card, Waterman remains a fringe national team candidate and a long-serving MLS stalwart.

Cavalry FC – Mohamed Farsi (70)

Speaking of rating increases, Mohamed Farsi has now cracked the seventies – and silver card territory – by going up three points from his FC25 iteration.

The fast-footed fully-fledged Algeria international boasts an incredible 85 sprint speed and 83 acceleration, making the right midfielder a shoe-in for those looking to add Canadian pace to their FUT squads.

Farsi has been a locked-in start for Columbus barring a recent injury spell, but we expect the 25-year-old to have a higher ceiling still.

Cavalry FC – Victor Loturi (63)

Having signed with CF Montreal following his spell with Ross County, Loturi’s rating has gone down by one as the 24-year-old seeks to redefine himself back on Canadian soil. He’s now cemented himself as a steadfast starter in La Belle Province, racking up 37 appearances for Montreal already – but with the team dead last in the east, Loturi’s rating might be in limbo.

Halifax Wanderers / York United FC – Adisa De Rosario (52)*

At just twenty years of age, Adisa De Rosario is the youngest former Canadian Premier League athlete to grace FC26. Having signed a full contract with Toronto FC, De Rosario is a name familiar for plenty of reasons to the Canadian faithful – and Adisa, to be specific, will be known to CPL fans after loans to both Halifax and York United during his TFC2 days.

As a relative unknown at this level, EA Sports has played it safe with a lowly 52 rating, so Adisa will need to put himself in the spotlight if he’s to attract the attention for any future rating update.

Also, if Adisa gets in without making an MLS appearance so far…EA Sports has to add Osaze soon, right?

FC Edmonton – Jeannot Esua (60)

It’s hard to find sliced of FC Edmonton out there these days, but Cameroonian full-back Jeannot Esua is still waving the flag. The 29-year-old is the starting right-back for the Irish top flight side, where he’s now tallied 59 appearances – the most he’s done for any team, surpassing his own Eddies tally just a couple of months ago.

Esua’s overall is unchanged from last year, with the developers lending most recognition to his pace: with 76 sprint speed and 74 acceleration, digital Esua is great for some bombing rungs down the flank.

While he’s not there anymore, Moses Dyer was briefly added to FC25 during his spell with Galway United last season. We were shocked to see him get a low 54, particularly with some of the bangers he scored there.

Forge FC – Manjrekar James (64)

Forge has had one of the most reliably consistent rosters to be seen ever since the league’s conception, so it’s no surprise that the hammers haven’t had many players grace this list despite lifting the playoff championship trophy four out of six times.

Former Canadian international Manjrekar James left the side after a title win in ’23, but only enters the EAFC spectrum now after signing with A-League side Wellington Phoenix. EA Sports gives the six-foot-four centre-back a strong 86 in strength and 78 in jumping, making him a strong and sturdy option for any bronze squad.

Pacific FC – Ahmed Al Ghamdi (65)

It’s incredible to see how much Ahmed Al Ghamdi has matured over the years. It was Pacific who minted the now-24-year-old as a professional. He now plies his trade with Neom on loan from Al-Ittihad, where he featured alongside the likes of Karim Benzema and Fabinho, and against a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.

Al Ghamdi’s rating has gone up by one point from last season, with EA Sports giving him the finesse shot and rapid attributes. With a solid 80 pace rating, he’s on to watch out for – as a few countries found out when they faced Saudi Arabia in the Asian U-23 Cup a few years ago.

Pacific FC – Isaac Boehmer (60)*

Having once been loaned to Pacific FC, Isaac Boehmer just enjoyed an incredible ratings boost of four points, perhaps reflecting his contributions en route to the Vancouver Whitecaps’ Canadian Championship three-peat – and that’s with the side also reaching the final for a potential four-peat this year.

The six-foot-two goalkeeper saw some particularly strong ratings increasing in the diving, positioning, and reflexes categories, so it’ll be interesting to see how develops. Featuring in both the Champions Cup and Canadian Championship this season, the ‘Caps are grooming him to be a goalkeeper prospect of great interest in the years to come.

Pacific FC – Lukas MacNaughton (62)

While change came for former Pacific title-winner Lukas MacNaughton in the former of a trade to DC United over the winter, his in-game rating remains locked firmly at 62. The thirty-year-old was a late bloomer, turning professional fairly late but instantly becoming a top CPL defender. Major League Soccer soon hailed with Toronto FC knocking, with Nashville and now DC United following suit.

MacNaughton still hasn’t matched his high of 63 from FIFA 23, and with the defender hampered by injuries this season, that might not be on the menu come next year, either.

Vancouver FC – Ibrahim Bakare (60)

That’s right: Vancouver FC finally his an individual entry to the list, with season one fan favourite Ibrahim Bakare arriving to the game by way of League Two side Cheltenham Town. The Englishman boasts a physicality well above his overall rating, with 84 strength and 76 jumping being his best.

The 23-year-old had featured in 26 matches throughout Vancouver FC’s inaugural campaign, with the Londoner subsequently cracking thirty-one League Two appearances after crossing back over the pond in early 2024.

Valour FC – Jonathan Sirois (67)*

Now in his third season as CF Montreal’s number one, Jonathan Sirois now sees a rating change for the first-time since his inclusion in the game. Unfortunately, it went down, but only be a point.

The 24-year-old has kept the Far Reach and Far Throw playstyles given to him by the developers, helping him react to long shot saves and hurl the ball further off the pitch. Sirois recently passed the one hundred appearances mark for CF Montreal. The former CPL Golden Glove winner was a standout for Valour FC before that, showcasing himself well through two campaigns in Winnipeg with Valour FC.

Valour FC – James Pantemis (65)*

Another former Valour standout in net is James Pantemis,

The streak of unchanged Major League Soccer player ratings continues with another former Valour loanee in James Pantemis, who is sharing goalkeeper duties in Portland with Maxime Crepeau.

Unlike the other former Valour goalkeeper on this list, Pantemis sees his rating unchanged, with the developers giving him the Rush Out attribute, boosting his reflex saves, rushing speed, and close-shot reads.

York United FC / Cavalry FC – Dominick Zator (63)

Following Dominick Zator’s summertime move to Arkya Gdynia, the veteran defender now sees his EAFC rating drop down by one as he dons the yellow-and-blue of a recently-promoted side facing an expected relegation battle.

The drop stems from a staggering seven point decrease to his strength attribute, with the developers also taking away his powerful headers attribute. The game now only lists him as a right-back, taking away his versatility as a sturdy centre-back despite his real-life experience in the position.

Hopefully EA Sports will update his positions soon, but for now fans will have to contend with a tough ratings update for the former star CPL defender.

York United – Lisandro Cabrera (58)

Last year saw Adrian Ugarriza and Mateo Hernandez in the game, and now that they’re gone it’s time for Lisandro Cabrera to check in. The Argentine forward technically made history as the first CPL athlete to score in the Champions Cup – albeit whilst on loan to Atletico Pantoja at the time – but eventually did suit up for the Nine Stripes and clocked in 22 league appearances.

The 27-year-old signed with Argentinian top flight side Atletico Tucuman this year, with his only goal coming in the Copa Argentina. He’s got a thing for cup magic, doesn’t he?

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With seventeen former Canadian Premier League athletes available for selection in FC26, fans can definitely make a full starting eleven in Ultimate Team if they are dare – or perhaps bring in some familiar signings through career mode. Whatever fans want to do, there’s a healthy dose of CPL graduates in-game ready for matchday selection.

While the Vancouver-based developers still haven’t formally included the Canadian Premier League or Northern Super League in the game, fans hoping to test their digital mettle can still look forward managing CPL sides in Football Manager 2026 this November if FC26 isn’t to their taste.