The 2021 Canadian Championship was the fourteenth edition of the Canadian Championship, contested from August 15 to November 21, 2021. The winners of the tournament, CF Montréal, were awarded the Voyageurs Cup and earned a berth in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League.

Format

The competition followed a similar format to the originally proposed 2020 edition with four rounds and regional pairings in the first two rounds. For the first time in the Canadian Championship, each tie was played as a single-leg fixture. CF Montréal, Forge FC, and Toronto FC entered the tournament in the quarter-finals due to their placements in the 2019 and 2020 editions of the competition. All other teams entered in the preliminary round of the tournament.

A.S. Blainville and Master's FA were originally supposed to participate in the 2020 edition of the competition, as they won the 2019 editions of the Première ligue de soccer du Québec and League1 Ontario, respectively. As the format of the 2020 edition was revised, their participation was postponed to the 2021 tournament.

Distribution

Distribution of teams for 2021 Canadian Championship
RoundTeams entering in this roundTeams advancing from previous round
Preliminary round (10 teams)1 champion of 2019 League1 Ontario season 1 champion of 2019 Première ligue de soccer du Québec season 7 Canadian Premier League teams 1 Major League Soccer team
Quarter-finals (8 teams)1 winner of the 2019 Canadian Championship 2 finalists of the 2020 Canadian Championship5 winners from the preliminary round
Semi-finals (4 teams)4 winners from the quarter-finals
Final (2 teams)2 winners from the semi-finals

Qualified clubs

2021 Canadian Championship is located in Canada
2021 Canadian ChampionshipMontréal area clubs: A.S. Blainville; CF Montréal Toronto area clubs: Toronto FC; Master's FA; York United Canadian Premier League Major League Soccer Other
ClubLocationLeagueRound of entryPrevious bestPrior appearances
A.S. BlainvilleBlainville, QuebecPremière ligue de soccer du QuébecPreliminary roundSecond qualifying round: 12
Atlético OttawaOttawa, OntarioCanadian Premier LeaguePreliminary roundN/A0
Cavalry FCFoothills County, AlbertaCanadian Premier LeaguePreliminary roundSemi-finals: 11
FC EdmontonEdmonton, AlbertaCanadian Premier LeaguePreliminary roundSemi-finals: 58
Forge FCHamilton, OntarioCanadian Premier LeagueQuarter-finalsSecond qualifying round: 11
HFX WanderersHalifax, Nova ScotiaCanadian Premier LeaguePreliminary roundThird qualifying round: 11
Master's FAToronto, OntarioLeague1 OntarioPreliminary roundN/A0
CF MontréalMontreal, QuebecMajor League SoccerQuarter-finalsChampions: 412
Pacific FCLangford, British ColumbiaCanadian Premier LeaguePreliminary roundFirst qualifying round: 11
Toronto FCToronto, OntarioMajor League SoccerQuarter-finalsChampions: 712
Valour FCWinnipeg, ManitobaCanadian Premier LeaguePreliminary roundSecond qualifying round: 11
Vancouver Whitecaps FCVancouver, British ColumbiaMajor League SoccerPreliminary roundChampions: 112
York United FCToronto, OntarioCanadian Premier LeaguePreliminary roundThird qualifying round: 11

Note

  • Statistics include previous incarnations of FC Edmonton, Montreal Impact, and Vancouver Whitecaps
  • Appearances in the 2020 Canadian Championship are not included for Toronto FC and Forge FC because it was not played until 2022

Schedule

RoundDatesTeams
Preliminary roundAugust 15–2610 (Atlético Ottawa, A.S. Blainville, Cavalry FC, FC Edmonton, HFX Wanderers, Master's FA, Pacific FC, Valour FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, York United)
Quarter-finalsSeptember 14–228 (Cavalry FC, CF Montréal, Forge FC, HFX Wanderers, Pacific FC, Toronto FC, Valour FC, York United)
Semi-finalsOctober 27 – November 3 (originally September 28–29)4 (CF Montréal, Forge FC, Pacific FC, Toronto FC)
FinalNovember 21 (originally October 19–27)2 (CF Montréal, Toronto FC)

Bracket

The bracket was announced on July 19, 2021.

Preliminary round August 15–26Quarter-finals September 15–22Semi-finals October 27 – November 3Final November 21
Hamilton, ON
CPLForge FC2
Ottawa, ON
CPLValour FC1
CPLAtlético Ottawa2
Hamilton, ON
CPLValour FC3
CPLForge FC0 (7)
Halifax, NS
MLSCF Montréal (p)0 (8)
CPLHFX Wanderers FC2
Halifax, NS
PLSQA.S. Blainville1
CPLHFX Wanderers FC1
MLSCF Montréal3
Montreal, QC
MLSCF Montréal1
MLSToronto FC0
Toronto (BMO), ON
MLSToronto FC4
Toronto, ON (York Lions)
CPLYork United FC0
CPLYork United FC5
Toronto (BMO), ON
L1OMaster's FA0
MLSToronto FC2
Edmonton, AB
CPLPacific FC1
CPLFC Edmonton0
Foothills County, AB
CPLCavalry FC2
CPLCavalry FC0
Langford, BC
CPLPacific FC1
CPLPacific FC4
MLSVancouver Whitecaps FC3

Preliminary round

Summary

The preliminary round matches were held between August 15 and 26, 2021.

Team 1ScoreTeam 2
FC Edmonton0–2Cavalry FC
HFX Wanderers2–1A.S. Blainville
York United5–0Master's FA
Atlético Ottawa2–3Valour FC
Pacific FC4–3Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Matches

FC Edmonton0–2Cavalry FC
Mason 31' Fisk 62'
HFX Wanderers2–1A.S. Blainville
Bent 10' Morelli 72'(pen.)Essomé Penda 52'(pen.)
York United5–0Master's FA
Ferrari 38' Ramírez 45+2' Wilson 59' Ulbricht 85'(pen.), 90+1'
Atlético Ottawa2–3Valour FC
Wright 16' Martínez 90+2'Rea 30' Ricci 60', 63'
Pacific FC4–3Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Campbell 8'(pen.) Aparicio 28' Heard 63' Díaz 75'Gauld 14', 66' Dájome 90+8'

Quarter-finals

Summary

Team 1ScoreTeam 2
Forge FC2–1Valour FC
HFX Wanderers1–3CF Montréal
Toronto FC4–0York United
Cavalry FC0–1Pacific FC

Matches

Forge FC2–1Valour FC
Choinière 33' Pacius 38'Ricci 60'
HFX Wanderers1–3CF Montréal
Bent 27'Miljevic 35' Tabla 89', 90+2'
Toronto FC4–0York United
Osorio 34' Achara 41' Soteldo 84'(pen.) Okello 89'
Cavalry FC0–1Pacific FC
Campbell 33'

Semi-finals

Summary

Team 1ScoreTeam 2
Forge FC0–0 (7–8 p)CF Montréal
Toronto FC2–1Pacific FC

Matches

Forge FC0–0CF Montréal
Penalties
Babouli Krutzen Awuah Cissé Bekker Browne Choinière Navarro Samuel Achinioti-Jönsson Henry7–8Lappalainen Johnsen Tabla Camacho Zouhir Piette Struna Bassong Bayiha Waterman Breza
Toronto FC2–1Pacific FC
Altidore 15' Shaffelburg 26'Díaz 83'

Final

Match

CF Montréal1–0Toronto FC
Quioto 72'

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerTeamGoalsBy round
PRQFSFF
1Canada Austin RicciValour FC321
2England Cory BentHFX Wanderers211
Canada Terran CampbellPacific FC11
Mexico Alejandro DíazPacific FC11
Scotland Ryan GauldVancouver Whitecaps FC2
Canada Ballou TablaCF Montréal2
Germany Julian UlbrichtYork United2

Awards