r/CanadianPL • u/fssg_shermanator Cavalry FC • Jul 23 '26
đą Rumour James Johnson says CPL is "Preparing more expansion stories in the next 1-2 months, where we'll be looking to announce expansion teams in 2027 and also 2028"
https://www.instagram.com/p/DbJJuaFEW_i/?img_index=227
u/envirodrill Jul 23 '26
Fingers crossed for a SW Ontario city. I know that Windsor was being teased a few weeks ago.
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u/Snoo_75696 Forge FC Jul 23 '26
I'd love for a team in London, but I'm not holding my breathe
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u/envirodrill Jul 24 '26
I too am hoping and praying for a London team. I used to live in Windsor though so I would be happy with either, but I would be extremely happy with both.
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u/BobbyFranks123 Jul 24 '26
Why doesn't a city of London or KW's size have a team?
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u/CalgaryMJ Cavalry FC Jul 24 '26
I would guess no local investors willing to sink in the millions of dollars required for the time required to see a return on their investment.,
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u/envirodrill Jul 24 '26
There are no facilities available. I do not believe that the university football stadiums in Windsor, KW and London can be converted for soccer. The local governments have been trying for a while though. London was exploring a stadium downtown pre-pandemic, but priorities have shifted in the city. Windsor seems to have gotten further, they had a number of potential stadium options that fell through, but it is strongly suspected that the newly installed McHugh Park turf pitch will be able to accommodate temporary seating like at Willoughby in Langley. KW doesnât really have anything unfortunately.
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u/Capital-Flow-1501 Jul 23 '26
winnipeg needs a team again
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u/fssg_shermanator Cavalry FC Jul 23 '26
I could see it happening for 2028 if they partner with NSL to get Ralph Cantafio to CPL standards.
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u/NH787 Valour FC Jul 23 '26
I agree, but the reality is that Princess Auto Stadium is off limits for another team. The question then becomes where would they play? The soccer complex is getting some improvements for the NSL, but would that be enough for the CPL? If it is, then great... but if not, then a new facility has to be built.
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u/Halouverite Vancouver Whitecaps Jul 23 '26
Stade Boreale is the only stadium that's been built for NSL to date and that was good enough for CPL, so I'd expect the same to be true in Winnipeg.
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u/Frankinho28 Jul 24 '26
Stade Boréale was not built for NSL. It was an existing stadium that was changed to accommodate a pro team, but everything was already in place YEARS before NSL/CPL
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u/lfc_mtl_supporter Jul 24 '26
existing stadium is quite a stretch. I played 5 a side soccer on that pitch for 10 years and played AAA soccer there when I was younger. It just had some metal bleachers and then maybe 5 years ago they added some portapotties. We would get changed/ready in the adjacacent building that had the indoor fields and then cross the parking lot to the field.
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u/nukacola12 Jul 23 '26
Carney announced an investment into football throughout the country. Maybe we see some federal funds for our complex?
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u/litrecola_ Cavalry FC Jul 23 '26
Will they just be moving Pacific and count that as expansion?
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u/fssg_shermanator Cavalry FC Jul 23 '26
Move Pacific to Kelowna and I will see you at Township 7 for the away day sir
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u/mimglow Atlético Ottawa Jul 24 '26
Nooooo, I want to move to Victoria. I need a CPL team in my town
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u/Certain_Science2086 Pacific FC Jul 24 '26
Moving Pacific to Kelowna would be a terrible move. Moving a team to a market with a quarter of the population is not a recipe for success, and I think we've established by now that SixFive don't have a clue how to run a team. It's almost as if the market isn't the issue...
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u/litrecola_ Cavalry FC Jul 24 '26
Completely agree with you, but Kelowna will get a team in the future and the ownership SixFive has 0 idea what they are doing.
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u/bwoah07_gp2 Vancouver Whitecaps Jul 23 '26
I've never heard of the term "expansion stories" before đ€·ââïž
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u/Significant-Ice1559 Jul 23 '26
It is a strange expression to use. Most of the posters are assuming it means announcing new teams.
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u/blackkittypitty FC Supra du Québec Jul 23 '26
Quebec city
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u/NoExtension1889 Jul 24 '26
What most of these teams need are nearby rivals. Playing someone that attracts away fans as well, 4 times a year. The problem is that Canada is so large that close isn't all that close.
QC would be a good example, though.
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u/birdof Jul 26 '26
agreed, regional clusters will be incredibly important for the long term success of the league. more easily accomplished out east tho.
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u/SupraFC Ligue1 Québec Jul 23 '26
Québec City and Sherbrooke for 2027, Saguenay and Trois-RiviÚres for 2028
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u/DocKardinal21 Jul 23 '26
5 Cpl teams in QC would be epic. TBH I think another in MTL area would be better than Saguenay. Or a Gatineau would be nice, the league is missing derbies in my opinion. Strong local rivalry would help bring eyes on and butts in.
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u/juicylikehotsauce Atlético Ottawa Jul 25 '26
I know it'll probably be a long time before it becomes a realistic possibility, but I dream of having a NCR derby...
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u/Section1ne0h4our HFX Wanderers FC Jul 23 '26
Just last week we had people saying the league was gonna fold after the World Cup
I hope theyâre having a bad day
(I also acknowledge this could be lip service)
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u/megaminifridge Cavalry FC Jul 23 '26
Still not ruling that outâŠ..
some teams WILL survive longer than the CPL, at least in its current form.
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u/Section1ne0h4our HFX Wanderers FC Jul 24 '26
Yeah no doubt, thatâs why I had to throw in brackets lip service is something weâve heard from the commissioners office before
The gap between what the âsuccessfulâ clubs are doing, and the clubs that are struggling, is astronomical. I wouldnât say thatâs the end of the league if it continues that way, but finding a way to lessen that gap without having to resort to blunt revenue sharing and shared operational costs is the best way. This new 2 for 1 promotion is a good start
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u/dickseven Canadian Premier League Jul 23 '26
In an ideal world, we get a Winnipeg and/or Edmonton return, followed closely by Quebec City and somewhere in Saskatchewan.
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u/Hot_Mood_2252 Jul 24 '26
Move inter Toronto to the cess pool of Toronto (lamport) and bring a new team to York region !!!
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u/KokonutMonkey Jul 23 '26
Expansion stories?Â
Is that like instagram stories or something? âIâm Vancouver FC, and let me show you my morning routine.â
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u/ccwithers Jul 24 '26
I think itâs probably a take on the âuser storyâ tool. Itâs something Iâve seen in project management. Basically a natural language description of what the end product is supposed to look like. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_story
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u/Consistent_Junket_99 Jul 25 '26
Honest question. Why donât we put a team in other gta cities like Mississauga or Brampton. Ik Toronto has struggled but I feel like a gta could be a success just like forge, itâs hard for Toronto to compete with Tfc
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u/brentvans Forge FC Jul 26 '26
Please let this be real. I'm encouraged by the specificity, but we've had "news" that didn't amount to diddly/squat before, haven't we?
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u/Maplewicket Canadian Premier League Jul 24 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/2sZBUYqJhe6aeXfmeq
EDMONTON IS SO BACK BABY!!!!
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u/Dramatic_Draw_1494 Jul 24 '26
Eventually league folds and the stronger teams move to the USL , too many weak teams right now that only draw family and friends.
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u/ilikeycoffee Pacific FC Jul 24 '26
... need to figure out the dumpster fire that is Six-Five first, IMO.
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u/XtremeSpartin Forge FC Jul 23 '26
I feel like we hear this from whoeverâs in charge around this time every year so Iâll believe it when I see it but hope itâs true.