All 18 amateur teams qualified for the National Championships Ottawa
All 18 amateur teams have qualified for Canada Soccer’s National Championships that will be played from 8-12 October in Ottawa, Ontario. Matches will be played at Julian de Guzman Park and Matt Anthony Field with the nine men’s teams playing for the Challenge Trophy and the eight women’s teams playing for the Jubilee Trophy.
Tickets to the National Championships in Ottawa are on sale now via the Ottawa Gloucester Celtic ticketing page. A “Full Tournament Admission” pass (all 28 matches) is available for just $35 while a “Day Pass” is available for $20.
World-renown for its culture, entertainment and sporting heroes, the City of Ottawa and the nation’s capital region will welcome Canada Soccer’s biggest and oldest amateur competition for the first time ever this October leading into Thanksgiving weekend.
This year’s tournament features a brand-new format with nine teams in each division divided into three groups from Thursday through Saturday. The three group winners in each division will win a national medal, with the order to be determined on Sunday (ranking matches) and Monday (Canadian Finals). From the group phase, the best group winner in each division will advance to the Monday Canadian Finals while the other two group winners in each division play head-to-head on Sunday for a chance to reach the Final.
In the men’s division, reigning champions Holy Cross FC are in Group A alongside Bedford’s Suburban FC and Vancouver ICSF Columbus FC. Group B, meanwhile, features three first-time finalists: Panathinaikos Toronto FC, Calgary Rangers SC, and CS Dieppe. Group C features hosts Gloucester Celtic alongside CS Trident (Ouest de Québec) and Winnipeg Lucania FC.
In the women’s division, reigning champions Holy Cross FC are in Group A alongside first-time finalists Saskatoon LAFC Unity FC and FC Viktoria Edmonton. Group B features first-time finalists CS LaSalle and hosts Gloucester Hornets SC alongside returning finalist Northwest United / St. Albert Impact. Group C, meanwhile, features Coquitlam Metro-Ford SC, Feildians AA, first-time finalist Toronto Azzurri SC.
As Canada’s most accessible sport, soccer welcomes more than 750,000 registered players across the nation. This season, nearly 200 amateur clubs are competing in declared qualifying competitions from September 2025 through September 2026.
Canada Soccer’s National Championships are hosted each October across multiple divisions and venues, with the 2026 U-17 Cup hosted in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and the U-15 Cup hosted in Surrey, British Columbia. As Canada Soccer’s largest national event featuring clubs from coast to coast to coast, the National Championships provide a meaningful week-long soccer experience for host cities and participating teams, as well as the players, coaches, support staff, officials, and volunteers.
On the men’s side, Holy Cross FC (1988, 2025), Columbus FC (1964, 1969, 1977, 1978), Gloucester Celtic (2013, 2022, 2024), and Lucania FC (1987, 2000) are all former national champions. On the women’s side, both Holy Cross FC women (2022, 2023, 2025) and Coquitlam (1987, 1990, 1994) are chasing a fourth national title.
Richard Scott