With just three weeks until some CPL clubs kick off their 2026 season in the Concacaf Champions Cup, it was a busy week on the signing front.
All of the league's eight clubs were active this week, with a few adding what could be key pieces to their 2026 squads.
Here are the biggest stories from across the league this past week:
Supra add CPL champion Sissoko, former Saint-Laurent star Wandje
FC Supra may be the league's newcomers in 2026, but they've ensured that their inaugural roster will have plenty of winning pedigree in the CPL.
Having signed former Forge FC winger (and four-time CPL champ) David Choinière earlier this off-season, they added midfielder Aboubacar Sissoko this past week. The Mali-born midfielder, who grew up in Montréal, won two championships while Choinière's teammate with Forge before adding a third this past year with Atlético Ottawa. He began his CPL career in 2020 playing for the Halifax Wanderers.
At 30, Sissoko is one of the league's best midfielders when he is on his day, and should get more of an opportunity to prove that with Supra in 2026. Add Sean Rea, and Supra already have a solid amount of CPL experience.
The club's CS Saint-Laurent connections remain strong as well, with this week's other signing for the expansion team, Wesley Wandje. The 25-year-old appeared briefly this past season for Valour FC, but really made a name for himself in Ligue1 Québec, helping Saint-Laurent to a title in 2023.
Vancouver FC add quality to squad ahead of Concacaf
With their debut in continental competition just a few weeks away, Vancouver FC added some important pieces to their squad this week with a trio of signings.
Perhaps the most notable is former Inter Toronto and Halifax Wanderers full-back Morey Doner, who will replace the outgoing Kunle Dada-Luke. The 31-year-old brings plenty of experience to the Eagles, having spent the past four campaigns as a regular starter in the USL Championship.
Adding another player returning to the league from the USL Championship, Vancouver FC also signed 28-year-old Burnaby boy Marcello Polisi. The midfielder, who played two seasons for the Halifax Wanderers and one with Valour, returned to action this past year for Detroit City FC after missing the entire 2024 season with injury.
Finally, 24-year-old attacking midfielder Luis Toomey joins the club from Auckland FC in the A-League. A New Zealand youth international, he also spent time in his national league with Eastern Suburbs, the former club of Moses Dyer.
Rayane Yesli off to Algeria
Following four seasons in the CPL, the most recent of which was spent on the East Coast in Halifax, Rayne Yesli is set to test himself abroad.
The 26-year-old, who was born in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria, before moving to Montréal at age two, returns to his birth nation to sign with Olympique Akbou. There, he will be reunited with former Wanderers teammate Nassim Mekidèche, who signed in Akbou earlier in the offseason.
Yesli's move comes after representing Algeria at the 2025 Arab Cup. Akbou currently sit a solid fourth in the table with just four losses through their first 15 matches of the Algerian Ligue 1 season.
Earlier in the off-season, Halifax announced the signing of goalkeeper Marco Carducci to replace Yesli between the sticks.
Three CPLers earn the call-up to CanMNT
The Canadian men's national team kick off a monumental 2026 with a camp in California, and three CPL players have been called up to the squad: Atlético Ottawa defender Noah Abatneh, Halifax Wanderers striker Tiago Coimbra and Inter Toronto winger Shola Jimoh.
All three will be looking to make their senior national team debuts when Canada plays an international friendly against Guatemala on Saturday, January 17 (10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on OneSoccer). They have each previously represented Canada at the youth level.
There will also be CPL representation in the camp's coaching staff, with Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr., and Atlético Ottawa goalkeeper coach Romuald Peiser.
Pacific bolster goalkeeping with Himaras signing
The Tridents have added another strong option between the sticks for 2026 with the signing of 23-year-old goalkeeper Eleias Himaras.
Himaras has four seasons of CPL experience, playing the first three with Inter Toronto, before joining Valour this past year -- for whom he played twelve matches in all competitions. The London, Ont. keeper joins veteran Sean Melvin on Pacific's 2026 squad.
Pacific further solidified their 2026 squad this week with the re-signings of Matthew Baldisimo, Lukas Browning and Roshawn Juhmi.
Forge sign young Spanish striker
The CPL Shield winners added another new piece this past week, putting pen to paper with 19-year-old Spanish striker Ismael Oketokoun.
The former product of Mallorca's academy most recently played with Platges de Calvià in the Spanish Tercera División.
He adds to a dynamic attacking group which already includes Tristan Borges, Hoce Massunda, Brian Wright, Mo Babouli and Nana Ampomah.
CPL finalists Cavalry, Atleti announce re-signings
While other clubs around the league were adding new options this week, the two sides who met in the 2025 CPL Final secured the return of several players.
On Thursday, Cavalry announced the return of midfielder Michael Baldsimo on a two-year contract with the club. The former Whitecaps' return followed news earlier in the week that young goalkeeper Joseph Holliday, and defender Michael Harms, have also been extended.
CPL champions Atlético Ottawa, meanwhile, announced the return of 22-year-old central defender Tyr Duhaney-Walker on a two-year contract. Goalkeeper Tristan Crampton, 23, is also back with the capital club for 2026.
Inter Toronto re-sign Oswaldo León
Inter Toronto locked up a key part of their core this week, signing Oswaldo León, through the 2027 season, with an option for 2028.
The 26-year-old Mexican international joined the club in 2024, and has since appeared 42 times in all competitions, scoring twice. He helped Inter Toronto to back-to-back CPL Playoff appearances for the first time in club history.
The club will have to wait for León to hit the pitch in 2026, as he still has four matches left on a suspension carrying over from the 2025 campaign. But when he does, he has been a key part of their success in recent years, and is one of the top central defenders both on and off the ball in the league.