Canadian Championship to kick off April 19 with games in Hamilton, Montreal

The 2023 Canadian Championship will kick off April 18 in Hamilton and Montreal with Forge FC hosting FC Laval and CF Montreal entertaining Vaughan SC in first-round matches.

While the tournament draw was held Jan. 31, Canada Soccer announced dates and locations Tuesday for the first round of the 14-team knockout competition.

The preliminary round continues April 19 with three more games.

Halifax Wanderers FC and Atletico Ottawa will meet in a neutral site game at Toronto's York Lions Stadium in the first half of a doubleheader, with York United FC then hosting expansion Vancouver FC in its first official outing.

Richmond’s TSS Rovers FC entertains Winnipeg’s Valour FC that same night at Swangard Stadium, marking the first Canadian Championship match at the Burnaby, B.C., stadium since 2010.

The first round wraps up April 20 with Calgary's Cavalry FC taking on Pacific FC at Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C.

The six first-round winners will advance to the May 9-11 quarterfinals where they will join the 2022 champion Vancouver Whitecaps and runner-up Toronto FC, who received first-round byes.

The Canadian Championship winner hoists the Voyageurs Cup and earns a berth in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League, the elite club competition in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Canadian Championship

First Round (All times ET)

Tuesday, April 18

Forge FC vs. FC Laval, 7 p.m. at Tim Hortons Field, Hamilton.

CF Montreal vs. Vaughan SC, 7 p.m. at Saputo Stadium, Montreal.

Wednesday, April 19

HFX Wanderers FC vs. Atletico Ottawa, 5 p.m. at York Lions Stadium, Toronto.

York United FC vs. Vancouver FC, 8 p.m. at York Lions Stadium, Toronto.

TSS Rovers FC vs. Valour FC, 10:30 p.m. at Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, B.C.

Thursday, April 20

Pacific FC vs. Cavalry FC, 10 p.m. at Starlight Stadium, Langford, B.C.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 7, 2023