2024 Canadian Premier League season explained
| Competition: | Canadian Premier League |
| Season: | 2024 |
| Winners: | Cavalry FC |
| Shield: | Forge FC |
| Shieldtitle: | CPL Shield |
| Continentalcup1: | CONCACAF Champions Cup |
| Continentalcup1 Qualifiers: | Cavalry FC
Forge FC |
| Matches: | 112 |
| Total Goals: | 285 |
| Best Player: | Tristan Borges |
| League Topscorer: | Tobias Warschewski
(12 goals) |
| Biggest Home Win: |
(April 14)
(April 26)
(May 25)
(June 1)
(July 26)
(July 27)
(August 10)
(September 7)
(September 14)
(September 14) |
| Biggest Away Win: |
(June 23) |
| Highest Scoring: |
(June 28) |
| Longest Wins: | 5 matches
Cavalry
(July 26 – August 24) |
| Longest Unbeaten: | 10 matches
Cavalry
(April 20 – June 21) |
| Longest Winless: | 9 matches
HFX Wanderers
(April 13 – June 15) |
| Longest Losses: | 5 matches
Valour
(April 14 – May 10) |
| Highest Attendance: | 7,395
(April 13) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 843
(April 26) |
| Attendance: | 445,891 |
| Average Attendance: | 3,981 |
| Prevseason: | 2023 |
| Nextseason: | 2025 |
| Updated: | October 19, 2024 |
The 2024 Canadian Premier League season was the sixth season of the Canadian Premier League, the top level of Canadian soccer. Forge FC were the defending champions, having beaten Cavalry FC, the CPL Shield winners, in the 2023 final.[1]
Forge won the CPL Shield as regular season champions, their second CPL shield and sixth league trophy. In the 2024 CPL final, Cavalry won their first league title by defeating Forge 2–1 to claim the North Star Cup, their third league trophy.
Team and rule changes
The same eight teams that competed in the 2023 season are competing in the 2024 season. The CPL's total player compensation budget was increased by $87,500 to a total of $1,112,500 (or $1,212,500 for teams maximizing the U21 salary incentive).[2]
York United was bought by a new ownership group from Mexico, Game Plan Sports Group.[3]
Teams
| Club | Results | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|
| Atlético Ottawa | details | Ottawa, Ontario | TD Place Stadium | 24,000 |
| Cavalry FC | details | Foothills County, Alberta | ATCO Field | 6,000 |
| Forge FC | details | Hamilton, Ontario | Tim Hortons Field | 23,218 |
| HFX Wanderers FC | details | Halifax, Nova Scotia | Wanderers Grounds | 6,500 |
| Pacific FC | details | Langford, British Columbia | Starlight Stadium | 6,000 |
| Valour FC | details | Winnipeg, Manitoba | Princess Auto Stadium | 32,343 |
| Vancouver FC | details | Langley, British Columbia | Willoughby Community Park | 6,560 |
| York United FC | details | Toronto, Ontario | York Lions Stadium | 4,000 | |
Personnel and sponsorship
Number of teams by province or territory
Coaching changes
Regular season
Format
The regular season was played as a quadruple round-robin, with each team playing the other seven teams twice at home and twice away between April and October. The regular season winner (the team ranked first after all 28 games) qualified for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup and the top five teams qualifed for the playoffs; the top two got byes to the semifinals.[11]
Standings
Notes
Positions by matchweek
Playoffs
The 2024 season used the Page playoff system. The team who finished first in the regular-season table played the team who finished second, with the winner hosting the final. The fourth- and fifth-placed teams played in a play-in round, and the winner then played the third-placed team in a quarter-final. The quarter-final winner then played the loser of the game between the first and second-placed teams for the other spot in the final.
In playoffs, if the scores were equal when normal playing time expires, extra time would be played for two periods of 15 minutes each. This would then be followed, if required, by a penalty shoot-out to determine the winners.
Forge FC and Atlético Ottawa were the first teams to qualify for the playoffs, doing so on September21 and 22 respectively.[12] After some initial confusion over Cavalry FC's qualification status and a "review of the league's playoff clinch scenarios,"[13] Cavalry officially qualified on September28.[14] York United FC became the fourth qualifier on October1.[15] With two matchweeks left in the season, all remaining teams were still able to qualify for the fifth playoff spot.[16] This changed on October 12 when HFX Wanderers FC became the first team eliminated from playoff contention following a loss in the club's penultimate match.[17] Pacific FC clinched the fifth and final playoff spot on the final day of the season.[18]
On October6, Forge clinched the CPL regular season title, winning the CPL Shield and securing the top playoff seed.[19]
Matches
First semifinal
See also: Cavalry FC–Forge FC rivalry.
Final
See main article: 2024 Canadian Premier League final.
See also: Cavalry FC–Forge FC rivalry.
Statistical leaders
Top scorers
Top assists
Clean sheets
Awards
Canadian Premier League Awards
The 2024 Canadian Premier League Awards were held in Calgary, Alberta, on November 7, 2024.[23]
Canadian Premier League Best XI
!Goalkeeper!Defenders!Midfielders!Forwards!Ref | | | | [31] | |
Team of the Week
The Gatorade Team of the Week was selected by the CPL's Kristian Jack and OneSoccer's Oliver Platt.
Monthly Awards
Player transfers
See main article: List of Canadian Premier League transfers 2024.
According to FIFA's worldwide registration periods calendar, the Canadian Soccer Association's (CSA's) 2024 pre-season transfer window opened on January 31 and closed on April 23; the mid-season transfer window would open on July 18 and close on August 14.[81] However, the CPL later announced that its mid-season transfer window would instead open on July 5 and close on August 2, contradicting FIFA's published dates. This discrepancy was resolved on July 11 when the CSA announced that the mid-season transfer window would open on July 12 and close on August 8 as a compromise between the CPL's and Major League Soccer's interests.[82] [83]
CPL clubs were required to be fully roster compliant by April 1 at 5:00 pm ET; rosters were frozen on September 13 at 4:00 pm ET.[84]
U Sports Draft
The 2024 CPL–U Sports Draft took place on December 14, 2023. Each team made two picks in the draft, for a total of 16 selections.[85]
Foreign players
See main article: List of foreign CPL players. Canadian Premier League teams can sign a maximum of seven international players, out of which only five can be in the starting line-up for each match.
The following international players were signed for the 2024 season. Note that players may be considered domestic for CPL purposes (Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or refugees) while still representing other countries in international competitions.[86]
Players in italic denote players who were new to their respective clubs for the 2024 season, sorted chronologically by their announcement. Players in Bold indicate players who have represented their national teams at the senior level.
Notes
Notes and References
- Web site: 2023-12-29 . CPL5x5: Forge FC 2023 year in review . 2024-01-13 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: Jacques . John . Canadian Premier League Updates Roster Rules For 2024 . Northern Tribune . 13 March 2024 . 13 March 2024.
- Web site: 2023-11-30 . York United FC purchased by world-class ownership group Game Plan Sports . 2024-01-13 . York United FC . en-US.
- Web site: First Look: Atletico Ottawa's New Primary Kit . Northern Tribune . March 29, 2023 . March 29, 2023.
- Web site: Banking On Soccer: CIBC Inks Multi-Year Deal With CPL . Northern Tribune . John . Jacques . November 10, 2022 . November 10, 2022.
- Web site: Canadian Premier League signs TELUS as Multi-Year Partner . Canadian Premier League . April 5, 2023. April 5, 2023.
- Web site: Vancouver FC unveils kits for inaugural season . Canadian Premier League . March 27, 2023. March 27, 2023.
- Web site: York United announces Carlsberg as front of jersey sponsor for 2023 . York United . November 10, 2022 . November 10, 2022.
- Web site: Official club statement on Martin Nash . . 21 May 2024 . 21 May 2024.
- Web site: 2024-06-04 . Benjamín Mora appointed as York United FC head coach . 2024-06-07 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: Canadian Premier League announces 2024 regular season schedule presented by WestJet . Canadian Premier League . January 23, 2024.
- Web site: Forge FC, Atlético Ottawa clinch 2024 CPL Playoffs spots, Cavalry one point away . Benedict . Rhodes . Canadian Premier League . September 21, 2024 . September 25, 2024 . October 7, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241007231811/https://canpl.ca/article/forge-fc-atletico-ottawa-and-cavalry-fc-all-punch-tickets-to-the-2024-cpl-playoffs . October 7, 2024 . live.
- Canadian Premier League Update on 2024 Playoff Clinch Scenarios . Canadian Premier League . Toronto, ON . September 22, 2024 . September 23, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240923022549/https://canpl.ca/article/canadian-premier-league-update-on-2024-playoff-clinch-scenarios . September 23, 2024 . live.
- Web site: Match Analysis: Cavalry seal playoff berth despite goalless draw against Vancouver . Gautam . Viswanathan . Canadian Premier League . September 28, 2024 . October 7, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240929073320/https://canpl.ca/article/match-analysis-cavalry-seal-playoff-berth-despite-goalless-draw-against-vancouver . September 29, 2024 . live.
- Web site: York United clinch spot in the 2024 Canadian Premier League playoffs, Ottawa and Cavalry clinch home playoff match . Benedict . Rhodes . Canadian Premier League . October 1, 2024 . October 1, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241001140737/https://canpl.ca/article/york-united-clinch-spot-in-the-2024-canadian-premier-league-playoffs-ottawa-clinch-home-playoff-match . October 1, 2024 . live.
- Web site: As It Stands: Forge clinch the Shield, Vancouver climb to 5th in roller-coaster Week 26 . Charlie . O'Connor-Clarke . Canadian Premier League . October 7, 2024 . October 7, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241007235523/https://canpl.ca/article/as-it-stands-forge-clinch-the-shield-vancouver-climb-to-5th-in-roller-coaster-week-26 . October 7, 2024 . live.
- Web site: Recap: Cavalry FC 2-1 Halifax Wanderers — CPL Match #107 . Mitchell . Tierney . Canadian Premier League . October 12, 2024 . October 12, 2024.
- Web site: Recap: Pacific FC 1-0 Forge FC — CPL Match #112 . Alexandre . Gangué-Ruzic . Canadian Premier League . October 19, 2024 . October 19, 2024.
- Web site: Recap: Valour FC 0-1 Forge FC — CPL Match #103 . Alexandre . Gangué-Ruzic . Canadian Premier League . October 6, 2024 . October 7, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241006200720/https://canpl.ca/article/recap-valour-fc-0-1-forge-fc-cpl-match-103 . October 6, 2024 . live.
- Web site: 2024 CPL players statistics. Canadian Premier League . April 13, 2024.
- Web site: 2024 CPL players statistics - team play. Canadian Premier League . April 13, 2024.
- Web site: 2024 CPL goalkeepers statistics . Canadian Premier League. April 13, 2024.
- Web site: Jacques . John . 2024-11-08 . 2024 CPL Awards Round Up: Parity In Powerhouses . 2024-11-08 . Northern Tribune . en-US.
- Web site: 2024-10-19 . Cavalry FC's Tobias Warschewski wins 2024 Canadian Premier League Golden Boot Award . 2024-11-08 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-11-07 . Pacific FC's Emil Gazdov wins 2024 CPL Golden Glove as top goalkeeper . 2024-11-08 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-11-07 . Forge FC's Bobby Smyrniotis named 2024 CPL Coach of the Year . 2024-11-08 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-11-07 . Forge FC midfielder Tristan Borges named 2024 CPL Player of the Year . 2024-11-08 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-11-07 . Former Forge striker Kwasi Poku named 2024 CPL Best Canadian U-21 Player . 2024-11-08 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-11-07 . Cavalry FC's Daan Klomp wins second consecutive CPL Defender of the Year award . 2024-11-08 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-11-07 . York United striker Brian Wright named 2024 CPL Players' Player of the Year . 2024-11-08 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-11-21 . Canadian Premier League Best XI Fuelled by Gatorade: 2024 CPL Stars Honoured . 2024-11-22 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-04-15 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 1) . 2024-05-20 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-04-22 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 2) . 2024-05-20 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-04-29 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 3) . 2024-05-20 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-05-06 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 4) . 2024-05-20 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-05-13 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 5) . 2024-05-20 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-05-21 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 6) . 2024-05-21 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-05-27 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 7) . 2024-05-27 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-06-03 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 8) . 2024-06-03 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-06-10 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 9) . 2024-06-10 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-06-17 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 10) . 2024-06-17 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-06-24 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 11) . 2024-06-24 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-07-02 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 12) . 2024-07-02 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-07-08 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 13) . 2024-07-09 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-07-15 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 14) . 2024-07-16 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-07-22 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 15) . 2024-07-22 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-07-29 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 16) . 2024-07-30 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-08-06 . Gatorade Team of the Week 2024 (Week 17) . 2024-08-24 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-08-12 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 18) . 2024-08-24 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-08-19 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 19) . 2024-08-24 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-08-26 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 20) . 2024-08-27 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-09-03 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 21) . 2024-09-03 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-09-10 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 22) . 2024-09-11 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-09-16 . Gatorade Team of the Week 2024 (Week 23) . 2024-09-16 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-09-24 . Gatorade Team of the Week 2024 (Week 24) . 2024-09-24 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-10-01 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 25) . 2024-10-01 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-10-07 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 26) . 2024-10-07 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-10-15 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 27) . 2024-10-15 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-10-21 . Gatorade Team of the Week (Week 28) . 2024-10-22 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: Forge FC’s Bobby Smyrniotis named CPL Manager of the Month for April . Canadian Premier League . May 2, 2024 . May 12, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240502181936/https://canpl.ca/article/forge-fcs-bobby-smyrniotis-named-cpl-manager-of-the-month-for-april-2024 . May 2, 2024 . live.
- Web site: Forge FC’s Tristan Borges named CPL Player of the Month for April . Canadian Premier League . May 1, 2024 . May 12, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240501192553/https://canpl.ca/article/forge-fcs-tristan-borges-named-cpl-player-of-the-month-for-april-2024 . May 1, 2024 . live.
- Web site: Forge FC’s Chris Kalongo named Allstate CPL Goalkeeper of the Month for April . Canadian Premier League . May 3, 2024 . May 12, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240503180953/https://canpl.ca/article/forge-fcs-chris-kalongo-named-allstate-cpl-goalkeeper-of-the-month-for-april . May 3, 2024 . live.
- Web site: 2024-06-05 . Atlético Ottawa's Carlos González named CPL Manager of the Month for May . 2024-06-07 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-06-04 . Atlético Ottawa's Rubén del Campo named CPL Player of the Month for May . 2024-06-07 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-06-06 . Vancouver FC's Callum Irving named Allstate CPL Goalkeeper of the Month for May . 2024-06-07 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: Halifax Wanderers' Patrice Gheisar named CPL Manager of the Month for June 2024 . Canadian Premier League . July 4, 2024 . July 4, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240704204822/https://canpl.ca/article/halifax-wanderers-patrice-gheisar-named-cpl-manager-of-the-month-for-june-2024 . July 4, 2024 . live.
- Web site: Forge FC's Kwasi Poku named CPL Player of the Month for June . Canadian Premier League . July 3, 2024 . July 4, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240704132932/https://canpl.ca/article/forge-fcs-kwasi-poku-named-cpl-player-of-the-month-for-june . July 4, 2024 . live.
- Web site: York United’s Thomas Vincensini named June’s Allstate CPL Goalkeeper of the Month . Canadian Premier League . July 5, 2024 . July 6, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240706163312/https://canpl.ca/article/york-uniteds-thomas-vincensini-named-junes-allstate-cpl-goalkeeper-of-the-month . July 6, 2024 . live.
- Web site: 2024-08-08 . York United's Benjamín Mora named CPL Manager of the Month for July 2024 . 2024-08-25 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-08-07 . York United's Mo Babouli named CPL Player of the Month for July 2024 . 2024-08-25 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-08-09 . Cavalry FC's Marco Carducci named Allstate CPL Goalkeeper of the Month for July 2024 . 2024-08-25 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-09-05 . Cavalry FC's Tommy Wheeldon Jr. named CPL Manager of the Month for August 2024 . 2024-09-08 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-09-04 . Cavalry FC's Daan Klomp wins CPL Player of the Month for August 2024 . 2024-09-08 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-09-06 . York United's Thomas Vincensini named Allstate CPL Goalkeeper of the Month for August 2024 . 2024-09-08 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-10-10 . Forge FC's Bobby Smyrniotis named CPL Manager of the Month for September 2024 . 2024-10-14 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-10-08 . Pacific FC's Moses Dyer named CPL Player of the Month for September 2024 . 2024-10-14 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-10-10 . Valour FC's Jonathan Viscosi named Allstate CPL Goalkeeper of the Month for September 2024 . 2024-10-14 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-10-31 . Cavalry FC's Tommy Wheeldon Jr. named CPL Manager of the Month for October . 2024-11-03 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-10-30 . Cavalry FC's Tobias Warschewski named CPL Player of the Month for October . 2024-11-03 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: 2024-11-01 . Atlético Ottawa's Nathan Ingham named Allstate CPL Goalkeeper of the Month for October . 2024-11-03 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: Worldwide registration periods calendar . . February 20, 2024 . March 1, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240223205823/https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/112a343d67b2adb2/original/Transfer-Window-Calendar.pdf . February 23, 2024 . dead.
- Web site: Statement: Men's Professional Transfer Windows . . July 11, 2024 . July 12, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240712135535/https://canadasoccer.com/news/statement-mens-professional-transfer-windows/ . July 12, 2024 . live.
- News: Canada, U.S. to work on different secondary soccer transfer windows this year . . . July 11, 2024 . July 12, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240712181245/https://www.tsn.ca/canada-u-s-to-work-on-different-secondary-soccer-transfer-windows-this-year-1.2147263 . July 12, 2024 . live.
- Web site: 2024 CPL Roster Rules & Regulations . Canadian Premier League . September 18, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240918023057/https://canpl.ca/roster-rules/ . March 13, 2024 . September 18, 2024 . live.
- Web site: December 14, 2023 . 2024 CPL-U SPORTS Draft: Team-by-team breakdown of all 16 picks . December 14, 2023 . Canadian Premier League.
- Web site: CPL Off-Season Roster Tracker: Who's in and who's out for 2024? . January 15, 2023. Canadian Premier League. January 23, 2024.
Emil Gazdov (Pacific FC)
Thomas Vincensini (York United FC)
Benjamín Mora (York United FC)
Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson (Forge FC)
Mo Babouli
