Quebec City, the next home for Canadian Premier League Soccer?

The CPL is exploring the possibility of adding a new team by 2026, with Quebec City emerging as a strong candidate.
Graphic by Keven Vaillancourt @kindaokev / The Concordian

In November 2024, the Canadian Premier League (CPL) Commissioner Mark Noonan confirmed that discussions were underway with several municipalities to host the next expansion team for the 2026 season. Cities include Quebec City, Laval, Edmonton, Kelowna, Kitchener-Waterloo, Windsor, Saskatoon, and potentially a second team in Toronto.

The rumours have sparked excitement among soccer fans in Quebec as two cities in the province enter the running. 

“It’s a very exciting opportunity,” said Concordia Stingers soccer player Luckson Junior Vilus, himself from Quebec City.

As of now, Montreal is the only city representing Quebec in Canadian soccer despite it being the second most populous province in the country.

“When it comes to soccer, generally, all eyes are on Montreal because that’s where all the main infrastructures are. So it [a new team] would mean a lot to Quebec soccer fans,” said Vilus. 

The popularity of soccer in Quebec is progressing very fast, a buzz that was exemplified by the exploits of Club Soccer Saint-Laurent in the 2023 Canadian Championship. The underdog team drew massive crowds, filling stadiums with fans from across the province gathered to watch a wild game at their homegrown stadium, the Complex of Claude-Robillard. 

“Quebecers as a whole are very passionate about this sport,” said Vilus. “We could see it with the Saint-Laurent adventure last year. The stadium was full, and there were people from all around Quebec.”

The growing fervor is mirrored in rising registration numbers for youth soccer programs, increasing attendance at matches, and innovative fan engagement initiatives. The province is ripe for an expansion team that could not only compete at the professional level but also inspire the next generation of players.

“Quebec as a province has a big talent pool that has no exposure to professional infrastructures,” Vilus added. “Having a team nearby would help these talents develop and have purpose.”

There is also a real hype on the fan side. With a population of half a million, Quebec City has a very interesting market for a potential CPL team.

“It would be an absolute dream to have a professional team in Quebec,” said Émile Ghattas, a Concordia student born in Quebec City. “There is a huge soccer community, but we’re forced to support CF Montreal as we don’t have anything here.”

A CPL team in Quebec City could also create an interesting rivalry with Montreal. Even though they wouldn’t play in the same league as CF Montreal, they could face each other in the Canadian Championship. 

“My father experienced a Montreal-Quebec rivalry in hockey with the Nordiques back then, and it could just be so fun to have a similar thing in soccer,” said Ghattas.

The final decision by the CPL committee could come very soon, as the new team should be ready to integrate into the 2026 league season.

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