On Monday, the Canadian Premier League dropped its highly-anticipated season eight schedule, presented by WestJet.
The season kicks off on April 4, concludes on the weekend of Nov. 21/22 with the 2026 CPL Final, and this year features a World Cup break between June 11 and 27. Along the way, there are plenty of key dates, special matches and intriguing matchups that are worth noting.
Here are eight dates in season eight to circle on your 2026 calendar:
April 11 - FC Supra du Québec’s inaugural match
Week two of the Canadian Premier League season features a piece of history, as the league's newest club, and the first from the province of Québec, FC Supra, play their inaugural match.
They begin their campaign on the west coast, facing Pacific FC on a Saturday night at Starlight Stadium. Funnily enough, they are the second consecutive league newcomer to play their first-ever match at the stadium, after Vancouver FC did the same in 2023.
Inaugural matches always bring with them plenty of intrigue. Will the new club hit the ground running? Who will score Supra's first ever goal? All of it makes April 11's clash a must-watch.
Supra will play their first home match the following Sunday against Atlético Ottawa.
May 13 - School Day Match
Forge FC's highly successful annual School Day match takes place on Wednesday, May 13. This year they host FC Supra at 11 a.m. ET.
The school day game debuted in 2024, when Forge drew CF Montréal 1-1 in the first leg of their Canadian Championship quarter-final. Last year, it was even bigger and better, with a CPL attendance record of 17,971 taking in a thrilling 2-2 draw between Forge and Atlético Ottawa.
Beyond this being the first-ever meeting between the two clubs, it will also see the return of a club legend, David Choinière, this time wearing bleu.
June 6 - Carducci’s return to Calgary
After seven seasons, and a CPL title, local legend Marco Carducci will make his return to ATCO Field on June 6 as Cavalry FC host his new side, the Halifax Wanderers.
This is sure to be an emotional affair, but also a fiercely competitive one. Halifax have never won in Calgary before, and in his first trip to his former stomping grounds, Carducci would love to change that fact and prove he made the right choice by joining the Wanderers.
June 9-10 - World Cup sendoff games
The 2026 CPL season will feature a break to accommodate the World Cup, with league action pausing between June 11 and June 27.
Before the tournament's kick-off on June 11, CPL clubs will play special send-off matches. Action begins on Tuesday, June 9, with Atlético Ottawa hosting FC Supra, before three matches on the tournament's eve.
All three are in, or close to, World Cup host cities, with Forge FC hosting the Halifax Wanderers, Inter Toronto hosting Cavalry FC in Toronto, and Vancouver FC hosting rivals Pacific in a Salish Sea Derby to end the night.
July 1 - Canada Day Doubleheader
Just a few days after the league returns from its World Cup break, Canada Day Wednesday features a doubleheader this year.
For a third consecutive season, Halifax host a Canada Day match at the Wanderers Grounds, looking to pick up their third straight win on the national holiday. Standing in their way? The defending CPL champions, Atlético Ottawa.
Earlier in the day, Hamilton Stadium hosts a Canada Day clash between Forge FC and Vancouver FC — a beautiful way to celebrate the sport in this country.
July 4 - Atlético Ottawa host Cavalry FC in a 2025 final rematch
In early July, odds are it won't be quite as snowy as the last time.
But on July 4, for the first time since the snow globe 2025 CPL Final, Cavalry FC return to the nation's capital to take on Atlético Ottawa. There always seems to be some sort of twist in the tale when these two sides meet, especially in the nation's capital,
The match is also the first time that Nathan Ingham will be back at TD Place, this time as Cavalry FC's goalkeeper. After four years, and a CPL championship, with Atlético Ottawa, it will be intriguing to see how Section W reacts to his return, given Ingham does so with a bitter rival.
October 12 - Rivalry Thanksgiving Monday
This year, the CPL's Thanksgiving weekend slate includes a matinee double-feature on Thanksgiving Monday.
The action kicks off with a fierce rivalry match at Hamilton Stadium as Forge FC host Inter Toronto in a crucial late-season edition of the 905 Derby.
Plus, a holiday Monday is always prime time at the Wanderers Grounds, and this year, on Thanksgiving Day, the Halifax Wanderers host Cavalry FC
With these matches concluding the third last week of action in the Canadian Premier League, they come at an important time in The Chase, and the results between these four ambitious clubs could prove to be very impactful in both the playoff and CPL Shield races.
October 25 - The Outcome
For a third consecutive season, the Canadian Premier League season concludes with all eight teams kicking off at the same time in The Outcome.
This year's slate, on Sunday, Oct. 25, features coast-to-coast action, with the Halifax Wanderers hosting FC Supra, Cavalry FC hosting Vancouver FC, Inter Toronto hosting Atlético Ottawa and Pacific FC hosting Forge FC.
Playoff positions, seeding, and even the CPL Shield could be on the line, and come down to the final minutes of the season.