What’s Happening In Canada?

Domestic & International Football & Atiba Hutchinson

Canada: one of the brightest, up-and-coming football nations and certainly one of the busiest. We have covered Canadian football quite a bit at Heart of Football but it’s been a while so what’s going on there at the moment?

Domestic

This year we have seen a line up change for the Canadian Premier League with FC Edmonton tagging out as Vancouver FC entered the fray. As the only club already in existence when the CPL began, losing Edmonton was a bit of a sucker punch. However, as always with Canada, the door is never permanently closed. We live in hope that one day, the Albertans will return…rabbit and all!

But as one door closes, another one opens and in walk Vancouver FC. The west coast gets another club on top of the historic Vancouver Whitecaps and former CPL champions, Pacific FC. They are currently finding it tough as they prop up the table but nobody said it would be easy now did they?

Conversely, it’s their British Colombia neighbours, Pacific FC, leading the way. They sit 5 points clear with a game in hand at time of writing. Are they on course for their second CPL crown to further dent the Forge of Hamilton dynasty?

As for the Canadian teams in the MLS, they remain about average across the field. Gone seem to be the days of Toronto FC competing with the big boys for that crown.

Also, for the first time ever, two teams will qualify automatically for the expanded CONCACAF Champions League in 2024, eliminating the previously almost inevitable bias towards the MLS Canadian winners of the Canadian Championship. Through that cup, Vancouver Whitecaps have already qualified and the winners of the regular season of CPL and the playoff at the of the season will join them.

Speaking of the playoff, the grand finale of this year’s Canadian Premier League will see a change in the playoff system. Initially, it consisted of a straight head to head of the split season champions before changing to a traditional top four knockout. This year, however, we see the introduction of a new system which gives rightful preferential treatment to the league’s top two teams with a direct chance at the final with the losing side going on to a second chance against the winner of the remaining three teams…the image below explains it better than I can:

 International

Canada have recently enjoyed their purple patch. The influx of a new exciting generation of footballers like Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David have rejuvenated the nation’s footballing future. They qualified for the World Cup in Qatar, only their second ever appearance on the grandest stage and they are joint hosts for the upcoming 2026 World Cup alongside USA and Mexico. The future is bright; the future is Canadian! Canada will also Co-host the Gold Cup in a few short weeks with USA.

They lost the Nations League final to their noisy neighbours last week which was a dent in their armour but there is still a lot to look forward to with John Herdman’s men.

Any Other Business

When a new generation does appear, it generally signals the closing chapters of the careers of other players. Atiba Hutchinson is Canada’s most capped player of all time and the Nations League tournament was his final showing. By reaching the final, Atiba competed in the first event final of his career and it was his last ever international match, not a bad way to bow out. His efforts for the national team will never be forgotten. He also finished his 10 year long tenure with Besiktas this year…anyone for Atiba in the Canadian Premier League? Wherever he ends up, he has certainly left his indelible mark on Canada and their football.