ULTIMATE 2026 CPL PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Who's favourite for North Star Cup?

The 2026 Canadian Premier League post-season begins on November 1st, as Cavalry FC of Calgary, Forge FC of Hamilton, FC Supra of Montréal and Atlético Ottawa from our nation's capital battle it out for the North Star Cup. In the video above, Gareth Wheeler, Oliver Platt & Jordan Wilson debate favourites and key storylines, and below, you'll find comprehensive match previews for the first round of post-season clashes.

FC SUPRA vs. CAVALRY FC

As FC Supra du Québec begin their maiden voyage in the Canadian Premier League playoffs, a colossus stands in their path. 

Cavalry FC, the CPL's regular season winners, will be just a week removed from lifting the CPL Shield as they travel to Laval. Their next mission is history: becoming the first club to win both the regular season and playoffs in a single year. 

Cavalry finished 22 points above FC Supra du Québec during the regular season -- the largest margin between two playoff opponents in CPL history. 

But the slate wipes clean in the playoffs. Nobody in the CPL has been in better form over the past month than FC Supra du Québec, who went 4-1-0 under new head coach Kyt Selaidopoulos in October to come from eight points back to make a stunning rise above the playoff line on the final day of the season.

They've been playing do-or-die games for weeks now, and they've found ways to win them. 

There is no replacing playoff pressure, however, and Cavalry have dealt with it in all eight of the CPL's seasons. They have been to the final the past three years, lifting the North Star Cup in 2024 at ATCO Field. Much of that team remains in Calgary, complemented by outstanding new recruits in each area of the pitch. 

Supra do have proven playoff performers of their own. Attacker David Choinière is a four-time CPL champion and has four playoff goals to his name, the second most all-time. Two of those goals came against Cavalry FC, including in the 2019 final. Aboubacar Sissoko also won a pair of CPL titles with Forge, and another last season with Atlético Ottawa. Selaidopoulos, meanwhile, won titles as an with Forge in 2022 and 2023. 

Cavalry remains the only CPL team that Supra have never defeated. But both meetings in Québec this season were incredibly close. The first, back on May 3, was a 1-0 Cavalry win on an 88th-minute Tobias Warschewski penalty. The second, a 1-1 draw, saw Supra lead for eight minutes before Caniggia Elva equalized, again in the 88th minute. 

Despite their tremendous regular season record, Cavalry have struggled a bit on the road recently, with just two victories in their past seven trips away from ATCO Field.

The change of playoff format also presents Cavalry with a challenge. Historically, the club has struggled in home-and-away ties, failing to advance in their past seven in all competitions, dating back to losing the first-ever CPL Final in 2019 to Forge on aggregate. 

Their last victory on aggregate came in the 2019 Canadian Championship against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Supra, meanwhile, made the Canadian Championship semifinal in their first season as a club, beating Atlético Ottawa in the home and away quarterfinal. 

Cavalry are chasing CPL immortality, and the dream of lifting another North Star Cup at ATCO Field. 

Supra look to extend a magical run which has already surpassed most expectations. They know the need to take care of business at home before braving the fortress in Calgary. 

NEWS & NOTES

• The 2026 CPL Playoffs feature two-legged semifinal ties, with the winner on aggregate advancing to the CPL Final. The away goals rule is not in effect.

• Cavalry's Tobias Warschewski is the Canadian Premier League's all-time leading playoff goalscorer, with five postseason goals in five matches. 

• FC Supra du Québec's Safwane Mlah is suspended for three matches after receiving a red card for violent conduct following the club's season finale in Halifax.

PROJECTED STARTING XIs

FC Supra du Québec: Milli; Brault-Guillard, Auguste, Chrétien, Abzi; Biello, Sissoko; Choinière, Rea, Kwemi; Condé

Cavalry FC: Ingham; Pearlman, Didić, Klomp, Kamdem; Paton, Kobza; Musse, Warschewski, Ntignee; Elva

ATLÉTICO OTTAWA vs. FORGE FC

The 2026 Canadian Premier League Playoffs will begin where the 2025 postseason ended.

Defending champions Atlético Ottawa begin their North Star Cup defence on Sunday at TD Place, as Forge FC pay a visit to the capital for Leg 1 of this semifinal matchup.

Forge have their eyes on winning a second piece of silverware in the space of a few weeks, after claiming the TELUS Canadian Championship last Wednesday. If they can get past Ottawa and then win the Cup, they'd make even more history as the first CPL side to win two trophies in one season.

Atleti would rather put a stop to that kind of chatter, though. Ottawa have spent the last few weeks ardently preparing for this specific moment; they've been locked into third place for almost a month, so their last few regular season games served only as preparation for the matches that really matter to them.

Although the 2026 season started slowly for Ottawa, they've developed into one of the CPL's top sides once again — bolstered by the guidance of head coach Gustavo Leal. The Brazilian gaffer took over midsummer and led the capital club to an 8-2-6 record in the 16 league matches he was in charge (two of those losses being the final two games, where they were already guaranteed third place).

Ottawa head into the playoffs with plenty of their championship-winning core in place, including captain Manny Aparicio and star forward Ballou Tabla (15 goals, two assists in all competitions). Their not-so-secret weapon, however, is a new face who's keen on winning his first title. Ottawa-born striker Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau potted nine goals and three assists in just 16 games after joining Atleti in late July, and he could be the difference maker in these playoffs.

Forge finished 15 points ahead of Ottawa in second place, missing out on the CPL Shield on the last day of the regular season. The Hamilton club are perennial contenders in the CPL, but they go into these playoffs quite desperate to reclaim the North Star Cup.

They've won four CPL championships, but not since 2023 — making this technically their longest drought, if you can call it that.

Forge will definitely have some specific business to settle with Atlético Ottawa. In the 2025 playoffs, after Forge finished first and won the CPL Shield, Ottawa beat them in Hamilton to earn hosting rights for the CPL Final. 

That said, Forge do have some good memories of postseason football at TD Place. They won their third championship in Ottawa, beating Atleti 2-0 in the 2022 CPL Final.

Head coach Bobby Smyrniotis is always confident at this time of year, and he'll be doubly so now after seeing his team take down CF Montréal on penalties in the Canadian Championship final. This team has succeeded mostly thanks to its strong defensive foundation — their 22 goals conceded was the fewest in the CPL — with formidable centre-back duo Dan Nimick and Manjrekar James likely playing behind stopper Antoine Batisse. Plus, Dimitry Bertaud has been a superstar in goal, reminding everyone of this talent by stopping three penalty kicks in that CanChamp final.

The Hammers had the advantage over Ottawa in the season series this year, winning three out of four games, including a 2-1 triumph in the capital on Oct. 17. However, Atleti were the first team to beat Forge this season, winning 2-1 at TD Place in May.