CALGARY — The Canadian Premier League intends to expand by two teams in 2026.

The league is in talks with groups in Edmonton, Laval, Que., Kelowna, B.C., Kitchener, Waterloo and Windsor, Ont., Quebec, Saskatoon and the Toronto area, the league’s commissioner said Friday. the CPL, Mark Noonan, in Calgary, before the league championship. game.

“Our goal is to add two new teams for our 2026 season, and we are in discussions with several potential investor groups and municipalities in this regard,” Noonan said.

“Our plan is to wisely expand CPL into new markets, so that we have the conditions necessary to succeed.

“With the progress we are making with our league, the accelerator for the 2026 World Cup, I firmly believe there is no better time to invest in the CPL in particular, and in Canadian football in general .”

The CPL currently has teams in eight cities: Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa and Halifax.

Calgary Cavalry FC and Hamilton Forge FC face off on Saturday for the North Star Cup.

Edmonton had one of the league’s founding teams from 2019 to 2022. It struggled with low attendance and losing records. The league took it back in 2022 and folded it for the 2023 season.

A test match between Vancouver FC and Cavalry FC took place in Kelowna on June 16 and attracted almost 6,300 spectators.

The commissioner said more games will be played in markets where there is interest.

“It’s very important that we expand at the right time and in the right place,” Noonan said.

Proper playing facilities, a strong ownership group, a supportive municipality, corporate sponsorship, as well as youth and football fan engagement are among the criteria for an expansion team, he said. he added.

“In addition to giving us more content, more games to distribute, it increases the number of players,” the commissioner said.

“When you increase the player pipeline, it’s like sales. The more people you have in your pipeline, the better if you train them well.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published November 8, 2024.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press