2023 CPL Season Schedule: Matchups revealed for opening weekend, April 14-16

The Canadian Premier League today announced the matchups for the opening weekend of the 2023 regular season schedule, presented by WestJet, which will kick off the League’s milestone fifth season.

The CPL season will kick off on Friday, April 14 with expansion side Vancouver FC traveling to west coast rival Pacific FC in the club’s inaugural match. Head coach Afshin Ghotbi’s squad will take on James Merriman and the Tridents at Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C., with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET.

The opening weekend excitement continues Saturday, April 15 with the Canadian Premier League’s reigning playoff champion and regular-season champion both getting their seasons started.

Atlético Ottawa, 2022 regular season champion and playoff finalist, will host Halifax Wanderers in Ottawa, Ont. New Wanderers Head Coach Patrice Gheisar and his squad will look to spoil Ottawa’s first game at TD Place since last year’s FInal, beginning at 1 p.m. ET/2 p.m. AT.

Reigning Canadian Premier League champion Forge FC will get its 2023 season underway at home against a familiar foe in Tommy Wheeldon Jr.’s Cavalry FC. The longstanding rivals, who most recently met in the two-legged 2022 playoff semifinal, will waste no time in writing the next chapter of their shared history when they meet at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ont. at 4 p.m. ET/2 p.m. MT.

Opening weekend wraps up with a battle between York United FC and Valour FC at York Lions Stadium in Toronto, Ont. on Sunday, April 16. Both Martin Nash and Phil Dos Santos’ sides have seen much turnover during the off-season and the new-look sides will both be keen to get their 2023 seasons off on the right foot. The final match of opening weekend kicks off at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT.

The Canadian Premier League’s regular season schedule will be released in full on Monday, Jan. 30.