ANALYSIS + HIGHLIGHTS: Forge FC lift 2025 CPL SHIELD after defeating York United | THE OUTCOME
Forge FC officially clinched the 2025 Canadian Premier League Shield on Saturday afternoon in Hamilton, securing them their second consecutive regular season title.
The Hammers defeated York United 3-0 at Hamilton Stadium in the final match of their regular season campaign, meaning they finished the season ahead of second-place Atlético Ottawa. Captain Kyle Bekker was presented with the Shield on Saturday afternoo as the club celebrated the title in front of their home fans.
It has been a remarkable season for Forge, who have 58 points, which is a new club record and the second-most in a season in CPL history. They have lost just twice all year, having carried a 20-game league unbeaten run into late August. Their success in 2025 has been partly fuelled by incredible home form, with a 9-5-0 record at Hamilton Stadium. They and this year's Atlético Ottawa are the only two sides ever to go unbeaten at home in an entire CPL season.
It's been a full team effort for Forge, led by head coach Bobby Smyrniotis. In total, 26 players have played a minute in this regular season campaign, and 18 contributed a goal or an assist. They have scored a club-record 51 goals, and have conceded just 22 — again, in line for a team record if they concede one or fewer next weekend.
By winning the CPL Shield, Forge have qualified for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup. They have previously appeared in the tournament three times, including the last two straight years, each time bowing out in the first round to Mexican opposition.
Having guaranteed that they will finish in first place, Forge also ensured the top seed in the 2025 CPL Playoffs. They will host Atlético Ottawa in the championship semifinal the weekend of Oct. 25-26, the winner of which will go straight to the CPL Final two weeks later as hosts. The losing side from that match remains alive but plays in the contender semifinal on Nov. 1-2 for the second spot in the Final.
This year's CPL Shield is the sixth official trophy in Forge's history. They have won four CPL championships (2019, 2020, 2022, 2023) by winning the playoffs, and also lifted the Shield in 2024.
The full schedule for the CPL Playoffs will be announced shortly.
MATCH RECAP
Forge FC have won the Canadian Premier League Shield for a second consecutive season, as they wrapped up the regular season title on Saturday with a resounding 3-0 win at home over York United as part of The Outcome in matchweek 28.
They lifted the Shield in front of home fans after securing first place, finishing top-of-the-table for a third time in club history and claiming the Shield for a second time.
It was an almost full-strength team on the pitch for the Hamilton side (minus the suspended Rezart Rama), including their ideal midfield trio of Kyle Bekker, Alessandro Hojabrpour and Tristan Borges. York, meanwhile, were without a few usual faces, like attacker Massimo Ferrin and midfielder Leonel López, but they opted to play in their typical 3-4-3 formation despite switching the past few weeks.
Forge's celebratory mood began early, because it took them just 10 minutes to find the back of the net. They won a corner kick after a good venture up the field, and a trademark bit of set-piece magic produced an early goal. Tristan Borges played it short to David Choinière, who sent it back to Borges running in from the edge. Having caught York by surprise, prompting them to step forward, Borges sent a perfect ball in toward an unmarked Alesandro Hojabrpour by the front post, and he buried the header to make it 1-0.
York improved after conceding the early goal, but faced a steeply uphill battle knowing they needed all three points to stand a chance of climbing the table.
Instead, the clinical Hammers continued to make more dangerous forays into York's third, and just moments before halftime they struck again. Choinière, picking up a pass from Borges out on the right wing, dribbled at York full-back Riley Ferrazzo and got around him, wrapping a pass across to Brian Wright at the top of the six-yard box. Wright redirected the ball in cleanly to double the home side's lead.
Forge's dominance continued into the second half; much like in the first, they needed just 10 minutes to score once again.
Choinière picked up the ball in midfield and fed Wright into the box, where the striker caught York keeper Diego Urtiaga by surprise and blasted a shot into the top corner by the near post. With a 3-0 lead before the hour mark, Forge had a hand on the CPL Shield already.
With the match effectively decided, Forge saw out the final half-hour professionally. They cruised to the clean-sheet win at home, and the party continued as they lifted the Shield and celebrated their title at home.
Now, both sides look ahead to the CPL Playoffs. Forge, as the top seed, will take on second-place Atlético Ottawa next weekend for the right to host the CPL Final on Nov. 9. York, meanwhile, have finished in fifth place, and will have to run a gauntlet away from home if they're to win the North Star Cup. They will play the Halifax Wanderers in Nova Scotia in the middle of the week to try and get to the semifinal qualifier against Cavalry FC on the weekend.
BOX SCORE
Lineups
Forge FC: Koleilat; Cissé, Nimick, Achinioti-Jönsson (Owolabi-Belewu 80'), Jevremović; Borges (Jensen 66'), Hojabrpour, Bekker (B. Paton 80'); Choinière, Wright (Ampomah 66'), Massunda (H. Paton 66')
York United: Urtiaga; Ferrari, Sturing, Adekugbe (Accettola 59'), Singh (DaSilva 67'), Ferrazzo (Chhoeun 84'); Yeates (Costa 65'), Kibato; Jimoh, Altobelli (Hundal 59'), Bitar
Goals
11' — Alessandro Hojabrpour (Forge FC)
45+2' — Brian Wright (Forge FC)
54' — Brian Wright (Forge FC)
Discipline
*27' — Yellow: Luke Singh (York United)
35' — Yellow: Kembo Kibato (York United)
