CPL Ultimate Guide: Predictions, How to Watch & Everything You Need to Know About Canadian Premier League | OneFootball

MLS might have three Canadian teams in Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and CF Montréal, but Canada also has its own FIFA-sanctioned top division, the Canadian Premier League, which is set to kick off its seventh season in 2025.

The CPL represents Canada's first division, with eight teams covering the world’s second-largest country by landmass.

Unlike MLS, the CPL offers a completely balanced schedule. Each club plays each other twice at home and twice on the road throughout the 28-game season.

At the end of the campaign, the top five teams advance to the CPL Playoffs and look to win the North Star Cup. The clubs can win additional trophies, including the Voyageurs Cup in the Canadian Championship and the North Star Shield for topping the regular season table. Each trophy comes with a berth in the Concacaf Champions Cup.

How to Watch the Canadian Premier League

The Canadian Premier League’s primary broadcaster is OneSoccer. Every match can be watched through their subscription service or FuboTV, with select games on the services listed below.

What to Know About Every CPL Club and Sports Illustrated Predictions

1. Cavalry FC - The Reigning Champions

Cavalry FC defeated Pumas of Liga MX in the opening leg of their 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup / Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images

From Calgary, Cavalry FC are coming off their first CPL Playoff championship in 2024, a step they had failed to take in their previous two journeys to the playoff final. They enter this season with the 2024 Golden Boot winner and off the back of beating Liga MX’s Pumas UNAM in the first leg of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.

Led by veteran head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr., Cavalry have been one of the most successful clubs since joining the CPL and have helped develop MLS stars Joel Waterman and Mohammed Farsi, now playing with CF Montreal and Columbus Crew SC.

Most of the title-winning squad returns for their title defense, with 2024 Golden Boot winner Tobias Warschewski hoping to build on his 12-goal campaign. Although there aren’t many additions to the squad, their most significant signing comes from MLS as Michael Baldisimo joins after spells with Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the San Jose Earthquakes.

They also featured nine U21 Canadian players, among the most in the league despite the rest of the roster’s relative experience.

2. Forge FC - Canada’s Super Club

Forge FC have established themselves as the Canadian Premier League's superclub / Courtesy of the Canadian Premier League

Forge FC are Canada’s superclub, winning four CPL titles and representing Canada several times in Concacaf competitions.

After losing the 2024 North Star Cup Final to Cavalry FC, head coach Bobby Smyrniotis' team will look to return to the pinnacle in 2025, chasing not only the playoff and regular season titles but the Voyageurs Cup as well.

Last season, they won 15 games amid a consistent campaign to their first-ever regular-season title. They have brought in ample talent to elevate veteran stars Kyle Becker and Tristan Borges, notably attacking stars Mo Babouli and Brian Wright from rivals York United, as well as defender Dan Nimick, who starred with the Halifax Wanderers.

It’s a new-look Forge FC, but they remain the deepest CPL squad heading into the season and should contend for the regular-season and playoff titles.

SI Prediction: 2nd

3. Atlético Ottawa - La Liga Connections

Atlético Ottawa are a part of Atlético Madrid's global club system / Courtesy of Atlético Ottawa

Atlético Ottawa are among the clubs within the Atlético Madrid umbrella and are owned by the La Liga giants. Since joining the CPL in 2020, they have enjoyed significant regular-season success and qualified for the playoff final in 2022, which they lost to Forge FC.

This season, the club will look to improve on its third-place regular season finish from 2024 while developing under new head coach Diego Mejía, who took over from Carlos Gonzalez ahead of the season.

While the club lost several key players, they brought in talents including veteran Canadian defender Brett Levis, and top defensive prospect Noah Abatneh, who could be in the running for the league’s best U21 Canadian award.

New Zealand international Monty Patterson comes in as a striker option as well. He scored against the USMNT and recently helped his All Whites qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

After playing a possession-based style under Gonzales, expect a more attacking team with Mejía's leadership.

4. York United - Toronto’s Club with Liga MX, Club América Ties

Sholah Jimoh is an exciting young player with York United / Courtesy of the Canadian Premier League

York United enters 2025 bursting with local talent, with many players hailing from the Greater Toronto Area set to suit up for the club. After years of mediocrity under previous leadership, the club is now owned by the Pasquel brothers—Eduardo, Miguel, and Ricardo—of GamePlan Sports.

The Pasquel family has a long history of ownership in Mexican football and have brought much of that to the CPL, with York United boasting three Mexican players and a partnership with Liga MX side Monterrey.

Their uncle, Alejandro Orvananos, was president of Club América, and their grandfathers also previously owned Liga MX's side Club Necaxa.

On the pitch, though, things are looking up. 32-year-old former player Mauro Eustaquio leads them as head coach, and they have undergone immense change in the offseason, bringing lots of CPL experience, highlighted by Steffen Yeates, Massimo Ferrin and Gabriel Bitar—a Lebanese international who has scored 15 CPL goals.

The most enticing player is Shola Jimoh, a dynamic 16-year-old who turned heads last season and will play a key role in 2025. He’s already gotten a training call-up to Jesse Marsch’s Canadian men’s national team, so the sky is the limit for him.

5. Pacific FC - The Tridents of Vancouver Island

Pacific FC are hoping to return to their former glory with returning players / Courtesy of the Canadian Premier League

Pacific FC are one of three teams to win the CPL Playoffs, doing so in 2021. After a few seasons below their standard, they’ve brought back two stars from that run, with Marco Bustos and Kadin Chung returning from Sweden and rivals Vancouver FC with hopes of running it back.

Last year, they finished fifth place and lost in the opening round of the playoffs. However, one of Canada’s top young head coaches, James Merriman, welcomes back veterans in Josh Heard and Sean Young, along with a bevy of new signings.

Outside of Bustos and Chung, Matteo Schiavoni, Aidan Daniels, and Ronan Kratt all bring CPL experience to the group. At the same time, young goalkeeper Max Anchor joins on loan from the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The Tridents scored just 27 goals last season and will need more from their attack to improve in 2025.

SI Prediction: 5th

6. Valour FC - Winnipeg's Own

Valour FC have never made the Canadian Premier League Playoffs / Courtesy of the Canadian Premier League

Valour FC hope this is the season they finally snap their streak of missing the playoffs, having finished on the outside since the league’s inaugural season in 2019.

While head coach Philip Dos Santos’ team lost some key players, they retained dynamic fullback Themi Antonoglou and striker Shaan Hundal while adding experienced forward Kris Twardek and star center back Rocco Romeo.

Valour have more depth than seasons past but might be missing the top-end talent needed to take a step forward.

SI Prediction: 6th

7. Halifax Wanderers FC -  Canada’s Best Soccer Atmosphere

The Halifax Wanderers have the best atmosphere for soccer in Canada / Courtesy of Trevor MacMillan/Canadian Premier League

Boasting the best stadium atmosphere in the CPL, the Hailfax Wanderers look to bounce back after missing the playoffs in 2024. A key piece to that turnaround for head coach Patrice Gheisar’s team will be winning more games on the road, even with the ample travel required for even their closest away matches.

Although they lost leading scorer and defensive stalwart Dan Nimick, they brought in top talents in Isaiah Johnston—a CPL young star who spent the last few seasons in MLS Next Pro and USL— a new starting goalkeeper in Rayane Yesli and the top Canadian college goalscorer, Joven Mann, among others.

With all the change and the travel challenges, this could be another testing year for the Wanderers, even with former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lorenzo Callegari back for another season.

SI Prediction: 7th

8. Vancouver FC Eagles Looking to Fly

Vancouver FC hopes Alejandro Diaz and Terran Campbell can lead them to success / Courtesy of Beau Chevalier/Vancouver FC

The youngest team in the Canadian Premier League, Vancouver FC had a formative off-season. It sold young Canadian-Irish dual national Grady McDonnell to Club Brugge while also losing key players Rocco Romeo, Kadin Chung and Gabriel Bitar.

However, head coach Afshin Ghotbi’s group will hope the veterans can lift them to their first-ever playoff appearance, especially with the partnership of Alejandro Diaz and Terran Campbell, two of the top-scoring CPL forwards in history, up top.

The goal for this club is plain and simple: Make the playoffs. Anything less isn’t terrible, but it would be a failure to step forward after their first two seasons outside the postseason.