OTTAWA, ON - Atlético Ottawa has today confirmed that talismanic midfielder and two-time Canadian Premier League champion Manuel Aparicio has signed a guaranteed two-year contract through the end of 2027.
Aparicio, 30, was instrumental in Atlético Ottawa’s 2025 Canadian Premier League (CPL) Championship-winning season, providing an assist for the winning goal in the semi-final and the final, respectively.
“Manny’s renewed commitment to the club and our project is a testament to what we’re building here in Ottawa,” said JD Ulanowski, General Manager, Atlético Ottawa.
“Our goal is to continue competing for trophies, to develop domestic talent and play an attractive brand of soccer. We’re excited to see Manny’s alignment with our project and are confident in his ability to lead us both on and off the pitch. He has been one of the best and most consistent players in the league since it began, and his midfield partnership with Coque gives us a great platform heading into next season.”
The Argentina-born Canadian midfielder joined Atlético ahead of the 2024 CPL season and has since adopted the famous no. 10 jersey. In two seasons in the nation’s capital, Aparicio has featured 67 times in all competitions, providing six goals and 10 assists as he led the club to its first North Star Cup in 2025.
“I’m really excited to continue my journey with Atlético,” said Aparicio. “Ottawa has quickly become home for our family, especially after welcoming our son here. From day one, we felt the warmth and welcome of the soccer community in this city, from the club to the supporters. I want to bring more success to Ottawa and to give the fans another season to enjoy as we build Atlético’s legacy.
“As a team, we are focused on continuing the momentum from last year’s record-breaking season as we embrace new challenges in 2026, such as Concacaf and defending our title. We have an incredibly talented group, and I’m excited to get back to work.”
In 2025, Aparicio was a member of the leadership group and an ever-present in midfield, featuring 35 times in all competitions, scoring one goal and providing seven assists. Named to the 2025 CPL Best XI Fuelled by Gatorade, Aparicio finished third in the league in both passes completed (1,562) and tackles won (47), and second in duels won (159) and interceptions (39). The 30-year-old also broke the CPL record for most nominations to the Team of the Week in 2025 (12). He was also a finalist for the CPL Players’ Player of the Year Award in 2025.
Aparicio becomes the 13th confirmed player on Atlético’s 2026 roster and is set to rekindle his partnership with experienced Mexican midfielder Coque, deemed by many the best midfield duo in the league last season.
2026 Atlético Ottawa Roster as of December 23, 2025:
Goalkeepers: N/A
Defenders: Loïc Cloutier (CAN), Joaquim Coulanges (CAN), Brett Levis (CAN), Sergei Kozlovskiy (CAN), Noah Abatneh (CAN)
Midfielders: Gabriel Antinoro (CAN), Jean-Aniel Assi (CAN), Juan ‘Coque’ Castro (MEX), Marko Stojadinovic (CAN), Manuel Aparicio (CAN)
Forwards: Ralph Khoury (CAN), Richie Ennin (CAN), Ballou Tabla (CAN)
Atlético Ottawa holds club option on Tristan Crampton and has until Dec. 31 to trigger those options for 2026.
Additionally, Atlético Ottawa have picked Carleton University's Joseph Daher and Brock University's Gabriel Tardiff in the 2026 CPL-U SPORTS Draft, presented by Degree. Both players will join Atlético's pre-season, looking to earn a U SPORTS contract for the 2026 CPL season.
Contract discussions are ongoing with all players who have club options, expired contracts and are free agents. Timelines for public announcements remain at the club's discretion.
Season Seat Memberships for the 2026 Canadian Premier League season at TD Place are on sale now. **Click here for more information.**