2023 Canadian Championship

The winner of the 2022 Canadian Championship, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and runner-up Toronto FC, both received byes to the quarter-finals. The remaining 12 teams began the competition from the first round in April.{{Cite web |title=Canada Soccer prepares for biggest Canadian Championship ever starting in April |url=https://canadasoccer.com/news/canada-soccer-prepares-for-biggest-canadian-championship-ever-starting-in-april/ |date=January 17, 2023|access-date=January 17, 2023 |work=Canadian Soccer Association}} Qualification to the Canadian Championship for 2023 was automatic for Canadian teams within Major League Soccer and for all teams within the Canadian Premier League, Canada's tier-one national league. The 2022 champions from the three regional pro-am leagues of League1 Canada (League1 Ontario, PLSQ, and League1 British Columbia) also qualified.{{cite web |url=https://canadasoccer.com/news/canadian-championship-welcomes-league1-bc-as-new-entrant-for-2023/ |title=Canadian Championship Welcomes League1 BC as New Entrant for 2023 |work=Canadian Soccer Association |date=November 3, 2022 |access-date=November 3, 2022}}

The 2023 Canadian Championship determined a place in the continental 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup tournament.{{cite news |last1=Becherano |first1=Lizzy |title=Concacaf reveals new format for Champions League starting in 2024 |url=https://www.90min.com/posts/concacaf-reveals-new-format-for-champions-league-starting-in-2024 |website=90min |access-date=24 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603174339/https://www.90min.com/posts/concacaf-reveals-new-format-for-champions-league-starting-in-2024 |archive-date=June 3, 2022 |date=June 3, 2022 |quote=Canadian teams will only be assured three places, with the champions, regular-season winner and Canadian Championship winner slated for the competition. |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Straus |first1=Brian |title=Concacaf Reveals Qualifying Criteria for Expanded Champions League |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2022/06/01/concacaf-champions-league-2024-qualification-format-criteria |website=Sports Illustrated |access-date=January 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601150253/https://www.si.com/soccer/2022/06/01/concacaf-champions-league-2024-qualification-format-criteria |archive-date=June 1, 2022 |date=June 1, 2022 |quote=The "higher-ranked" semifinalist, based on unspecified criteria, will earn the berth if the two finalists have qualified via MLS, the Leagues Cup or the Canadian Premier League. |url-status=live}} If the winner had already qualified for the Champions Cup via berths in the 2023 Major League Soccer, 2023 Leagues Cup or 2023 Canadian Premier League, the place would have gone to the runners-up in the final, and then to the "higher-ranked" semi-finalist based on league points totals,{{cite web |title=2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Regulations |url=https://stconcacafwp001.blob.core.windows.net/media/atwi3fxa/2024-concacaf-champions-cup-regulations-eng.pdf |website=Concacaf |access-date=1 November 2023 |pages=14–19 |date=25 October 2023}} if the runners-up had also already qualified.

Matches in the 2023 tournament were each played as a single 90-minute match with additional time. If a match ended in a draw, no extra time was played, and the match went straight to a penalty shoot-out to decide the winner.{{cite news|url=https://www.canadasoccer.com/news/14-things-to-know-about-the-2023-canadian-championship/|title=14 things to know about the 2023 Canadian Championship|work=Canadian Soccer Association|date=January 28, 2023|access-date=February 2, 2023}} Each team competing in the tournament could select up to 30 players to their tournament roster. If a player already nominated to a team's tournament roster was transferred to a competing team during the tournament, they were disqualified from further play in the tournament. For each match, teams could select up to 18 players for a match roster, while their starting lineup had to include at least three Canadian players. Both teams could make up to five substitutions and two concussion substitutions throughout the match at up to three stoppages of play, excluding half-time.

{{CSS crop|Location=center|bSize=550|cWidth=550|cHeight=235|oTop=230|Description=Locations of teams competing in the 2023 Canadian Championship|Content=

{{Location map+|Canada|float=center|width=550|places=

{{Location map~|Canada|lat=48.443|long=-123.519|label=Pacific FC|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|Canada|lat=49.276|long=-123.112|label=Vancouver|mark=Black pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Canada|lat=51.044|long=-114.062|label=Cavalry FC}}

{{Location map~|Canada|lat=49.896|long=-97.156|label=Valour FC|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Canada|lat=43.250|long=-79.866|label=Forge FC|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Canada|lat=43.653|long=-79.383|label=Toronto|mark=Black pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Canada|lat=45.398|long=-75.683|label={{Nowrap|Atlético Ottawa}}}}

{{Location map~|Canada|lat=45.562|long=-73.553|label=Montreal|mark=Black pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|Canada|lat=44.651|long=-63.582|label={{Nowrap|HFX Wanderers}}}}

{{Location map~|Canada|marksize=1|mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png|lat=42.4|long=-122.5|label={{Ubl|{{nowrap|Vancouver teams:}}|TSS Rovers|Vancouver FC|{{Nowrap|Vancouver Whitecaps}}}}}}

{{Location map~|Canada|marksize=1|mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png|lat=46.6|long=-101.5|label={{Ubl|{{nowrap|Toronto teams:}}|Toronto FC|{{Nowrap|Vaughan Azzurri}}|York United}}}}

{{Location map~|Canada|marksize=1|mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png|lat=39.1|long=-59.8|label={{Ubl|{{nowrap|Montreal teams:}}|CF Montréal|FC Laval}}}}

}}}}

On January 17, 2023, Canada Soccer announced that the draw for the championship would be held on January 31 at 8:00 pm ET. The draw details and pots were announced on January 24. Due to the early start of the tournament, only 5 of 12 teams were able to host to host a match in the first round. Teams were assigned into pots based on geography (east or west) and hosting ability.

Prior to the commencement of the draw, one club from Pot B1 was moved into Pot A1, then one club from Pot B2 was moved to B1, and then both clubs from Pot C were moved to Pot B2, resulting in an even distribution of three teams in each of the first round pots.{{cite news |url=https://canadasoccer.com/news/canada-soccer-announces-details-for-the-2023-canadian-championship-draw/ |title=Canada Soccer Announces Details for the 2023 Canadian Championship draw |work=Canadian Soccer Association |date=January 24, 2023 |access-date=January 25, 2023}} Atlético Ottawa and the HFX Wanderers were placed in Pot B2 prior to the draw as the eastern teams that did not commit to hosting a match in the first round. The Wanderers were eventually drawn from Pot A1 as the designated home team for their first round match against Ottawa, and Canada Soccer determined a neutral venue for the match.{{cite news |url=https://canadasoccer.com/news/final-draw-procedures-confirmed-for-the-canadian-championship-draw/ |title=Final draw procedures confirmed for the Canadian Championship Draw |work=Canadian Soccer Association |date=January 31, 2023 |access-date=February 5, 2023 |quote=From the 12 clubs in the Preliminary Round, five clubs have committed to hosting a Canadian Championship match at their home venue in April [...] The club drawn from Pot B2 into Pot B1 (either Ottawa or Halifax) will serve as a Home team at a neutral venue to be determined by Canada Soccer...}}

Final positions

{{dagger}}: Could not host a Preliminary Round match.

{{#invoke:RoundN|main|columns=4|3rdplace=no|bold_winner=high|skipmatch=4;5|omit_blanks=yes|flex_tree=no|style=font-size:85%; white-space:nowrap

| RD1 = {{Ubl|Preliminary round|April 18–20}}

| RD2 = {{Ubl|Quarter-finals|May 9–10}}

| RD3 = {{Ubl|Semi-finals|May 24}}

| RD4 = {{Ubl|Final|June 7{{cite web |url=https://canadasoccer.com/news/canada-soccer-conducts-official-draw-for-the-2023-canadian-championship/ |title=Canada Soccer conducts Official Draw for the 2023 Canadian Championship |work=Canadian Soccer Association |date=January 31, 2023 |access-date=February 5, 2023}}}}

|Langford, BC|Pacific FC {{pso}}|1 (5)|Cavalry FC|1 (3)

|Burnaby, BC|TSS FC Rovers|3|Valour FC|1

|Toronto, ON (York Lions)|York United FC|1|Vancouver FC|0

|Montreal, QC|CF Montréal|2|Vaughan Azzurri|0

|Hamilton, ON|Forge FC|3|FC Laval|0

|Toronto, ON (York Lions)|HFX Wanderers FC|1|Atlético Ottawa|3

|Langford, BC|Pacific FC|2|TSS FC Rovers|0

|Toronto, ON (York Lions)|York United FC|1|Vancouver Whitecaps FC|4

|Toronto, ON (BMO)|Toronto FC|1|CF Montréal|2

|Hamilton, ON|Forge FC {{pso}}|1 (3)|Atlético Ottawa|1 (2)

|Langford, BC|Pacific FC|0|Vancouver Whitecaps FC|3

|Montreal, QC|CF Montréal|2|Forge FC|0

|Vancouver, BC|Vancouver Whitecaps FC|2|CF Montréal|1

}}

{{OneLegStart}}

{{OneLegResult|TSS FC Rovers||3–1|Valour FC}}

{{OneLegResult|Pacific FC||1–1 {{pso|5–3}}|Cavalry FC}}

{{OneLegResult|York United FC||1–0|Vancouver FC}}

{{OneLegResult|Forge FC||3–0|FC Laval}}

{{OneLegResult|HFX Wanderers FC||1–3{{efn|name=fn1|This match was played at York Lions Stadium (a neutral venue) due to both clubs being unable to host the match.{{Cite web |url=https://canpl.ca/article/preview-halifax-wanderers-vs-atletico-ottawa-2023-canadian-championship |title=Preview: Halifax Wanderers vs. Atlético Ottawa — 2023 Canadian Championship |work=Canadian Premier League |first=Charlie |last=O'Connor-Clarke |date=April 18, 2023 |access-date=September 6, 2023 |quote=With neither side able to host this first-round matchup, they'll be playing at a neutral site in York Lions Stadium. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419160151/https://canpl.ca/article/preview-halifax-wanderers-vs-atletico-ottawa-2023-canadian-championship |archive-date=April 19, 2023 |url-status=live}}}}|Atlético Ottawa}}

{{OneLegResult|CF Montréal||2–0|Vaughan Azzurri}}

|}

{{notelist-ua}}

{{Football box

| id = Match 1

| date = April 19

| time = 19:30 PT

| round =

| score = 3–1

| aet =

| report = https://canadasoccer.com/events/championship-match-live/?matchId=3400

| team1 = TSS FC Rovers

| goals1 =

• Polisi {{goal|39||62}}
• Mejia {{goal|42}}

| team2 = Valour FC

| goals2 =

• Novak {{goal|88|pen.}}

| stadium = Swangard Stadium

| location = Burnaby, British Columbia

| attendance = 2,486

| referee = Robert D'Alesio

| penaltyscore =

| penalties1 =

| penalties2 =

}}

----

{{Football box

| id = Match 2

| date = April 20

| time = 19:00 PT

| round =

| score = 1–1

| aet =

| report = https://canadasoccer.com/events/championship-match/?matchId=3401

| team1 = Pacific FC

| goals1 =

• Ongaro {{goal|39}}

| team2 = Cavalry FC

| goals2 =

• Bevan {{goal|28}}

| stadium = Starlight Stadium

| location = Langford, British Columbia

| attendance = 2,099

| referee = David Barrie

| penaltyscore = 5–3

|penalties1=

• Heard {{pengoal}}
• Sellouf {{pengoal}}
• Đidić {{pengoal}}
• Young {{pengoal}}
• Mukumbilwa {{pengoal}}

|penalties2=

• {{pengoal}} Aird
• {{pengoal}} Cantave
• {{pengoal}} Alarcón
• {{penmiss}} Klomp

}}

----

{{Football box

| id = Match 3

| date = April 19

| time = 20:00 ET

| round =

| score = 1–0

| aet =

| report = https://canadasoccer.com/events/championship-match/?matchId=3402

| team1 = York United FC

| goals1 = Babouli {{goal|6|pen.}}

| team2 = Vancouver FC

| goals2 =

| stadium = York Lions Stadium

| location = Toronto, Ontario

| attendance = 950

| referee = Michael Venne

| penaltyscore =

| penalties1 =

| penalties2 =

}}

----

{{Football box

| id = Match 4

| date = April 18

| time = 19:00 ET

| round =

| score = 3–0

| aet =

| report = https://canadasoccer.com/championship-match/?matchId=3403

| team1 = Forge FC

| goals1 = Jensen {{goal|37||55}}
Pacius {{goal|57|pen.}}

| team2 = FC Laval

| goals2 =

| stadium = Tim Hortons Field

| location = Hamilton, Ontario

| attendance = 2,117

| referee = Scott Bowman

| penaltyscore =

| penalties1 =

| penalties2 =

}}

----

{{Football box

| id = Match 5

| date = April 19

| time = 17:00 ET

| round =

| score = 1–3

| aet =

| report = https://canadasoccer.com/events/championship-match/?matchId=3404

| team1 = HFX Wanderers FC

| goals1 = Ferrin {{goal|19}}

| team2 = Atlético Ottawa

| goals2 = Shaw {{goal|40}}
Espejo {{goal|44}}
Tissot {{goal|85}}

| stadium = York Lions Stadium

| location = Toronto, Ontario{{efn|name=fn1}}

| attendance = 674

| referee = Myriam Marcotte

| penaltyscore =

| penalties1 =

| penalties2 =

}}

----

{{Football box

| id = Match 6

| date = April 18

| time = 19:00 ET

| round =

| score = 2–0

| aet =

| report = https://canadasoccer.com/events/championship-match/?matchId=3405#newsfeed_section

| team1 = CF Montréal

| goals1 = Rea {{goal|31}}
Ibrahim {{goal|36}}

| team2 = Vaughan Azzurri

| goals2 =

| stadium = Saputo Stadium

| location = Montreal, Quebec

| attendance = 11,069

| referee = Mathieu Souaré

| penaltyscore =

| penalties1 =

| penalties2 =

}}

{{OneLegStart}}

{{OneLegResult|Pacific FC||2–0|TSS FC Rovers}}

{{OneLegResult|York United FC||1–4|Vancouver Whitecaps FC}}

{{OneLegResult|Forge FC||{{nowrap|1–1 {{pso|3–2}}{{efn|name=fn2|Although Atlético Ottawa was drawn as the home team, this match was played at Tim Hortons Field due to Atlético opting out of hosting.{{Cite web |url=https://canadasoccer.com/news/atletico-ottawa-advance-to-the-quarter-finals-after-a-31-win-over-halifax/ |title=Atlético Ottawa advance to the Quarter-Finals after a 3:1 win over Halifax |work=Canada Soccer |date=April 19, 2023 |access-date=April 21, 2023 |quote=Atlético Ottawa will travel to Hamilton to face Forge FC in the 2023 Quarter-Finals in May.}}{{Cite news |url=https://northerntribune.ca/ottawa-halifax-to-play-cup-match-in-toronto/ |title=Ottawa, Halifax To Play Cup Match In Toronto |first=John |last=Jacques |work=Northern Tribune |date=February 7, 2023 |access-date=April 21, 2023 |quote=Atletico Ottawa has also released a club statement confirming that it made an administrative error in opting out as a host club for this year's iteration of the tournament when it only meant to opt out of the opening round.}}}}}}|Atlético Ottawa}}

{{OneLegResult|Toronto FC||1–2|CF Montréal}}

|}

{{notelist-ua}}

{{Football box

| id = Match 7

| date = May 10

| time = 19:30 PT

| round =

| score = 2–0

| aet =

| report = https://canadasoccer.com/events/championship-match-upcoming/?matchId=3406

| team1 = Pacific FC

| goals1 =

• Heard {{goal|66|pen.}}
• Reid {{goal|87}}

| team2 = TSS FC Rovers

| goals2 =

| stadium = Starlight Stadium

| location = Langford, British Columbia

| attendance = 2,593

| referee = Myriam Marcotte

| penaltyscore =

| penalties1 =

| penalties2 =

}}

----

{{Football box

| id = Match 8

| date = May 10

| time = 19:30 ET

| round =

| score = 1–4

| aet =

| report = https://canadasoccer.com/championship-match-live/?matchId=3407

| team1 = York United FC

| goals1 =

• Ricci {{goal|90}}

| team2 = Vancouver Whitecaps FC

| goals2 =

• Adekugbe {{goal|64|o.g.}}
• Becher {{goal|76}}
• Johnson {{goal|88}}
• Gressel {{goal|90+1|pen.}}

| stadium = York Lions Stadium

| location = Toronto, Ontario

| attendance = 1,827

| referee = Drew Fischer

}}

----

{{Football box

| id = Match 9

| date = May 9

| time = 19:00 ET

| round =

| score = 1–1

| aet =

| report = https://canadasoccer.com/events/championship-match/?matchId=3408

| team1 = Forge FC

| goals1 =

• Bekker {{goal|76}}

| team2 = Atlético Ottawa

| goals2 =

• Bassett {{goal|87|pen.}}

| stadium = Tim Hortons Field

| location = Hamilton, Ontario{{efn|name=fn2}}

| attendance = 2,979

| referee = Filip Dujic

| penaltyscore = 3–2

| penalties1 =

• Borges {{penmiss}}
• Jensen {{pengoal}}
• Pacius {{penmiss}}
• Achinioti-Jönsson {{pengoal}}
• Hamilton {{penmiss}}
• Sissoko {{pengoal}}

| penalties2 =

• {{penmiss}} Shaw
• {{penmiss}} Bassett
• {{penmiss}} Salter
• {{pengoal}} dos Santos
• {{pengoal}} Singh
• {{penmiss}} Verhoven

}}

----

{{Football box

| id = Match 10

| date = May 9

| time = 19:00 ET

| round = Canadian Classique

| score = 1–2

| report = https://canadasoccer.com/events/championship-match?matchId=3409

| team1 = Toronto FC

| goals1 =

• Insigne {{goal|44}}

| team2 = CF Montréal

| goals2 =

• Brault-Guillard {{goal|35}}
• Offor {{goal|39}}

| stadium = BMO Field

| location = Toronto, Ontario

| attendance = 17,726

| referee = Yusri Rudolf

}}

{{OneLegStart}}

{{OneLegResult|Pacific FC||0–3|Vancouver Whitecaps FC}}

{{OneLegResult|CF Montréal||2–0|Forge FC}}

|}

{{Football box

| id = Match 11

| date = May 24

| time = 19:00 PT

| round =

| score = 0–3

| aet =

| report = https://canadasoccer.com/events/championship-match-live/?matchId=3410

| team1 = Pacific FC

| goals1 =

| team2 = Vancouver Whitecaps FC

| goals2 =

• Gressel {{goal|14}}
• Ahmed {{goal|17}}
• Becher {{goal|78}}

| stadium = Starlight Stadium

| location = Langford, British Columbia

| attendance = 5,221

| referee = Drew Fischer

| penaltyscore =

| penalties1 =

| penalties2 =

| event =

| score1 =

| score2 =

}}

----

{{Football box

| id = Match 12

| date = May 24

| time = 19:00 ET

| round =

| score = 2–0

| aet =

| report = https://canadasoccer.com/events/championship-match/?matchId=3411

| team1 = CF Montréal

| goals1 =

• Lassiter {{goal|54}}
• Ibrahim {{goal|78}}

| team2 = Forge FC

| goals2 =

| stadium = Saputo Stadium

| location = Montreal, Quebec

| attendance = 10,062

| referee = Pierre-Luc Lauzière

| penaltyscore =

| penalties1 =

| penalties2 =

}}

{{main|2023 Canadian Championship final}}

{{:2023 Canadian Championship final}}

{{legend|silver|Team eliminated or did not play in this round.}}

• 1 own goal - {{#invoke:flagg|main|pxxl|avar=fb|CAN}} Elijah Adekugbe

• George Gross Memorial Trophy: {{flagicon|USA}} Julian Gressel (Vancouver Whitecaps FC){{cite news |url=https://canadasoccer.com/news/gressel-and-ahmed-win-awards-at-2023-canadian-championship/ |title=Gressel and Ahmed win awards at 2023 Canadian Championship |date=June 8, 2023 |access-date=June 8, 2023 |publisher=Canada Soccer}}
• Best Young Canadian Player Award: {{flagicon|CAN}} Ali Ahmed (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)

{{Notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://canadasoccer.com/events/canadian-championship/ Canadian Championship] at Canada Soccer

{{Canadian Championship}}

{{2023 in Canadian soccer}}

{{2022–23 in North and Central America, and Caribbean football (CONCACAF)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canadian Championship, 2023}}

Category:2023 domestic association football cups

Category:2023 in Canadian soccer

Category:2023 North American domestic association football cups

2023 Canadian Championship