Key Takeaways
- Atlético Ottawa will host Forge FC at TD Place on November 1, with kickoff scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
- FC Supra du Québec will face regular-season champions Cavalry FC at Stade Boréale in Laval at 4 p.m. ET.
- Both semifinals use a two-leg aggregate format, with no away-goals rule determining the winners.
Two Semifinals Open the Road to the CPL Final
The Canadian Premier League's 2026 playoff race reaches a decisive stage on Sunday, November 1, with first-leg semifinals in Ontario and Quebec. Defending champions Atlético Ottawa meet Forge FC, while FC Supra du Québec host regular-season winners Cavalry FC.
Ottawa and Forge Renew Their Rivalry
Atlético Ottawa welcome Forge to TD Place for a 2 p.m. ET kickoff. Ottawa are defending the North Star Cup after winning last season's championship. Forge arrive as Canadian Championship winners, having defeated CF Montréal on penalties.
The clubs bring plenty of history into the tie. Forge finished second in the regular season, 15 points ahead of Ottawa, and won three of their four league meetings this year. Ottawa, however, beat Forge in the 2025 postseason.
Ottawa's attack features Ballou Tabla, who recorded 15 goals and two assists across all competitions, and Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau, who scored nine goals after joining in July. Forge will rely on a defence that conceded a league-low 22 goals.
Supra Face Regular-Season Winners
The second semifinal begins at 4 p.m. ET at Stade Boréale in Laval, where FC Supra du Québec host Cavalry FC. It is Supra's first CPL playoff appearance. Cavalry enter after winning the regular-season title and lifting the CPL Shield.
Cavalry finished 22 points above Supra, the largest gap between playoff opponents in league history. Yet Supra arrive with momentum after a 4-1-0 October run under coach Kyt Selaidopoulos helped them secure a playoff place on the season's final day.
Cavalry have reached the final in each of the past three seasons and won the championship in 2024. They are aiming to become the first club to win both the regular-season title and playoffs in one year.
TwikUp's Perspective
These opening legs offer contrasting tests: Ottawa and Forge bring an established playoff rivalry, while Supra are chasing a breakthrough against one of the league's most experienced sides. The two-match format rewards consistency, making Sunday's results important but not decisive.
Both semifinals are decided over two legs, with aggregate score determining who reaches the final. The away-goals rule does not apply, leaving each team a clear route to progress through its overall performance.