Thursday marks one year until a men's World Cup match will be played on Canadian soil for the first time.
The Canadian Premier league is celebrating 'One Year Out: CPL Welcomes the World' presented by Hellmann's Canada this weekend with four matches themed around the world's game coming to the country in 2026.
On Saturday, the Halifax Wanderers host Cavalry FC at the Wanderers Grounds (3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT) and Pacific FC host York United at Starlight Stadium (6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT). Then on Sunday, Vancouver FC host Forge, while the festivities conclude in the nation's capital with Atlético Ottawa hosting Valour FC.
Since its inception, the league has welcomed talent, both on and off the pitch, from all over the world who have played a pivotal part in its growth and development to where it is today.
Here is a starting eleven comprised of some of the international players who have made the biggest impact on the Canadian Premier League:
Goalkeeper
Thomas Vincensini — France (York United)
The French goalkeeper spent just one season in the CPL with York United, but certainly made a strong impact. Vincensini started every game for York last season during their best campaign in club history, also keeping a clean sheet in their first-ever playoff victory, 2-0 over Pacific FC. He remains the only international goalkeeper to ever be nominated for the league's Golden Glove award.
Defenders
Miguel Acosta — Spain (Atlético Ottawa)
Joining the capital club ahead of the 2021 season, Acosta quickly became one of the most dependable and cerebral defenders in the league. Across three seasons with Atlético Ottawa, he missed just six CPL regular-season matches. During those three seasons between 2021 and 2023, nobody won more tackles than Acosta (142). In 2022, the Spaniard was a key part of Atlético Ottawa winning the CPL Shield as regular season champions and reaching, and hosting, the CPL Final that year.
Daan Klomp — Netherlands (Cavalry FC)
Likely the best defender in Canadian Premier League history so far, Klomp's resumé speaks for itself. Joining Cavalry in 2021, he went on to play 121 matches for the club, scoring 17 times as a central defender. He won the league's Player of the Year and Defender of the Year awards in 2023 as Cavalry went on to win the regular season title. He followed that up with another Defender of the Year award in 2024, while helping Cavalry to their first North Star Cup victory. He moved to La Louvière in Belgium this past season, whom he helped to get promoted to the country's top flight.
Daniel Krutzen — Netherlands (Forge FC)
The Dutch central defender signed with Forge ahead of their inaugural season, and was a key part in the Hamilton club winning the first-ever CPL Final over Cavalry. He also played every match as Forge won the CPL Final again in 2020. Just before the 2021 CPL final, Krutzen tore his ACL, which saw him miss that match, a loss to Pacific, and most of the next campaign as well. In his final year in the league, in 2022, despite playing just four matches, he captained Forge to a third CPL championship in the final in Ottawa. Exceptional with the ball at his feet, that ability was crucial to Forge building their signature possession-based identity in the early years.
José Escalante — Honduras (Cavalry FC)
Another day-one CPL international, Escalante quickly became a name beloved by Cavalry FC supporters, and maligned by others, specifically those in Hamilton. Capable of playing anywhere down the left flank, his tireless and aggressive style was a nightmare for opponents. An outstanding crosser of the ball, Escalante earned 12 assists during his time with the Cavs, to go with nine goals. He made 100 appearances for Cavalry in all competitions.
Midfielders
Andre Rampersad — Trinidad and Tobago (Halifax Wanderers)
The Trinidad and Tobago international joined the Halifax Wanderers ahead of their inaugural season, and has been a fixture on the East Coast ever since. Only Alex Achinioti-Jönsson has made more appearances by an international player than Rampersad in the league's history. No player has made more in Halifax blue than Mr. Halifax's 150 appearances in all competitions. Rampersad has captained the club in recent years, and gone on to win 22 international caps for the Soca Warriors, recently being named to their squad for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson — Sweden (Forge FC)
The Canadian Premier League's all-time appearance leader, the Swede has been a key part of Forge FC's team literally since the opening day of the league's history. A versatile player capable of playing both at the base of midfield and as a central defender, he won the league's inaugural Defender of the Year award in 2022, before being again nominated in 2024. He is a four-time CPL champion, more than any other international player in league history -- and has appeared in all six CPL finals. He scored the match winner in a 2020 CPL Final victory over the Halifax Wanderers.
Tobias Warschewski — Germany (FC Edmonton, Cavalry FC)
The German attacker initially came to the Canadian Premier League in 2021, signing with FC Edmonton. In that first season, he led the league in assists with seven, adding four goals. He followed that up by scoring seven, and adding four assists, in 2022. Warschewski returned to the league in 2024, this time with Cavalry FC. The German made an immediate impact in his first year with the Cavs, winning the CPL Golden Boot with 12 regular-season goals scored. He followed that up by winning the first-ever Gatorade CPL Final MVP after scoring and assisting as Cavalry lifted the North Star Cup following a 2-1 victory over Forge FC at ATCO Field.
João Morelli — Brazil (Halifax Wanderers)
The Brazilian attacker joined Halifax ahead of the 2020 Island Games, and made an instant impact, scoring four goals as the Wanderers made it all the way to the CPL Final that year. He followed that up with an outstanding 2021 campaign, during which he scored 14 goals -- still the most by any player in a single CPL season. He won the Golden Boot that season, as well as the league's Player of the Year. The following campaign, Morelli suffered an ACL injury, which kept him out for the better part of two seasons. He did return in 2023, however, scoring four goals in nine matches, and helping the Wanderers to make the playoffs.
Ollie Bassett — Northern Ireland (Pacific FC, Atlético Ottawa)
Bassett's four seasons in the Canadian Premier League came with a lot of silverware. Joining Pacific in 2021, he helped the club win the CPL Final, with a pair of goals in 20 appearances. It was the following year in the nation's capital, however, where the Northern Ireland youth international really emerged, with a fantastic 2022 campaign where he won the league's Player and Players' Player of the Year awards. Atlético Ottawa won a regular season title, and reached the CPL Final against Forge that year. While the club didn't quite reach the same heights the following season, missing the playoffs, Bassett did win the CPL's Golden Boot award in 2023.
Forwards
Alejandro Díaz — Mexico (Pacific FC, Vancouver FC)
No international player has scored more goals than Alejandro Díaz's 38 in CPL action. In fact, he has scored the second most of any player in the league's history between his time with Pacific FC and Vancouver FC. The Mexican youth international, who is a two-time Concacaf Champions Cup winner with Club América, first joined Pacific in 2020. He won a CPL title the following year with the Tridents, before winning the league's Golden Boot the following season despite departing for Norway midway through the year. Since 2023, he has been with rival Vancouver FC on loan, scoring double-digit goals again last season.