Cavalry FC

On May 5, 2018, Calgary was one of four cities accepted by the Canadian Soccer Association for professional club membership.{{cite web|title=Four clubs get pro membership from Soccer Canada; expected to join CPL|date=May 5, 2018 |url=https://www.tsn.ca/four-clubs-get-pro-membership-from-soccer-canada-expected-to-join-cpl-1.1077215|publisher=TSN|access-date=May 18, 2018}}

Cavalry FC was announced on May 17, 2018, as the second team to officially join the Canadian Premier League.{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/spruce-meadows-unveils-name-calgarys-pro-soccer-team/ |title=Spruce Meadows unveils name of Calgary's pro soccer team |publisher=Sportsnet |date=May 17, 2018 |access-date=May 18, 2018}} Spruce Meadows Sports & Entertainment Group CEO Linda Southern-Heathcott and COO Ian Allison were joined by league commissioner David Clanachan and league president Paul Beirne to unveil the team.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wakingthered.com/2018/5/17/17364600/canadian-premier-league-reveals-calgary-canpl-cpl-soccer|title=Canadian Premier League reveals Calgary team "Cavalry FC"|work=Waking The Red|access-date=May 18, 2018|archive-date=May 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519033801/https://www.wakingthered.com/2018/5/17/17364600/canadian-premier-league-reveals-calgary-canpl-cpl-soccer|url-status=dead}}

The club's name, crest and colours were all revealed at the event at Spruce Meadows, while Tommy Wheeldon Jr. was announced as head coach and general manager.{{cite web|last1=Rieger|first1=Sarah|title=Cavalry FC, Calgary's new professional soccer team, to debut in 2019|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/cavalry-calgary-soccer-1.4668247|publisher=CBC|access-date=May 19, 2018}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/soccer/news/calgary-cavalry-fc-canadian-premier-league-cpl-2019-spruce-meadows/1e4ab13f6i43w1xv601x3ambs3|title=Cavalry FC announced as second Canadian Premier League club|date=May 17, 2018|work=Sporting News|access-date=May 18, 2018}} Plans to renovate existing facilities at Spruce Meadows, resulting in a soccer-specific stadium with a capacity of at least 5,000 seats, were also revealed.{{Cite news|url=http://www.660news.com/2018/05/17/calgary-welcomes-canadian-premier-league-team/|title=Calgary welcomes Canadian Premier League team - 660 NEWS|date=May 17, 2018|work=660 NEWS|access-date=May 18, 2018|language=en-US}}{{cite web|last1=Austin|first1=Daniel|title='Cavalry FC' the Canadian Premier League team in Calgary|url=http://calgarysun.com/sports/soccer/cavalry-the-canadian-premier-league-team-in-calgary|publisher=The Calgary Sun|access-date=May 19, 2018}}

On June 26, 2019, Cavalry FC qualified for the 2019 Canadian Premier League Championship by winning the inaugural CPL Spring season.{{cite web |last1=Saelhof |first1=Todd |title=Cavalry FC scores first-ever CPL honour by winning spring season title |url=https://calgarysun.com/sports/soccer/cavalry-fc-scores-first-ever-cpl-honour-by-winning-spring-season-title |publisher=Calgary Sun |access-date=July 12, 2019}} The following month the Cavs became the first CPL club to defeat a Major League Soccer club in the Canadian Championship by upsetting Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2019 over two-legs.{{cite web |last1=Adams |first1=J.J. |title=Cavalry FC 2, Whitecaps 1: Vancouver's Canadian Championship is over; the MLS season, too |url=https://theprovince.com/sports/soccer/mls/vancouver-whitecaps/cavalry-fc-2-whitecaps-1-vancouvers-canadian-championship-is-over-the-mls-season-too |publisher=The Province |access-date=August 5, 2019}} In 2019, Cavalry FC goalkeeper Marco Carducci became the first CPL player called up to the Canada men's national soccer team.{{cite news |last=Saelhof |first=Todd |date=May 26, 2023 |title=Cavalry goalkeeper Marco Carducci hits Game 100 of home-team career |url=https://calgarysun.com/sports/cavalry-goalkeeper-marco-carducci-hits-game-100-of-home-team-career |work=Calgary Sun |accessdate=December 13, 2024}}

On November 9, 2024, Cavalry won its first ever Canadian Premier League championship by defeating four-time winners Forge FC 2–1 at ATCO Field. The team earned a 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup berth in the process.{{cite news |last=Hall |first=Vicki |date=November 9, 2024 |title=Calgary's Cavalry FC dethrones Hamilton's Forge FC for 1st-ever Canadian Premier League title |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/cpl/cpl-final-forge-cavalry-recap-nov-9-1.7379399 |work=CBC Sports |agency=The Canadian Press |accessdate=December 13, 2024}} In February 2025, Cavalry became the first Canadian Premier League team to win a match in CONCACAF Champions Cup, defeating Pumas 2–1 during the first leg of the first round matchup.{{citeweb|url=https://calgaryherald.com/sports/3-takeaways-from-cavalrys-monumental-triumph-over-mexican-giant-pumas|title=Three takeaways from Cavalry's 'monumental' triumph over Mexican giant Pumas|website=Calgary Herald|date=February 6, 2025}}

{{Commons|Cavalry FC kits}}

The team's crest was designed by Jon Rogers. The crest features a chevron in homage to the Lord Strathcona's Horse armoured regiment, Alberta Foothills and Rocky Mountains, and a football to represent the past and future of Calgary as a sporting city.

The club's colours are green, red and black (branded by the club as "army green," "Calgary red," and "black on black"). These colours symbolize the green of Calgary's nature and Spruce Meadows, and the red and black of other Calgary sports teams and the flag of Lord Strathcona's Horse.{{Cite web|url=https://cavalryfc.canpl.ca/emblem-inspiration/|title=Emblem Inspiration|website=canpl.ca|access-date=April 9, 2019}} The official mascot is a red horse named Sarge.

File:Section 203 ATCO Field.jpg from section 203. The field is used by Cavalry FC for home games.]]File:HFX Wanderers FC vs. Cavalry FC (48174115731).jpg during the CPL's inaugural season in 2019.]]

Cavalry FC play at ATCO Field, a 6,000-seat stadium{{cite news |last1=Kanygin |first1=Jordan |title=New 12,000-seat soccer stadium part of Spruce Meadows future plan |url=https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/new-12-000-seat-soccer-stadium-part-of-spruce-meadows-future-plan-1.4599320 |access-date=30 May 2022 |work=CTV News Calgary |date=18 Sep 2018}} located at Spruce Meadows, at the 'Meadows on the Green' equestrian ring.{{Cite web|url=https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/construction-underway-on-new-soccer-stadium-at-spruce-meadows-ahead-of-cpl-launch-1.4232797|title=Construction underway on new soccer stadium at Spruce Meadows ahead of CPL launch|date=December 27, 2018|website=CTV News|access-date=December 28, 2018|last=White|first=Ryan}}{{cite news |last=Austin |first=Daniel |url=https://calgaryherald.com/sports/soccer/cavalry-the-canadian-premier-league-team-in-calgary/wcm/eac6726f-e015-48ce-b79d-3c4ca72868dd |title='Cavalry FC' the Canadian Premier League team in Calgary |work=Calgary Herald |date=May 18, 2018 |access-date=May 18, 2018}} The stadium is modular to allow for future growth and uses natural grass. In September 2019, Spruce Meadows presented a new area plan to Foothills County, that includes a 12,000 seat soccer-specific stadium on the grounds that would replace ATCO Field over the next 30 years.{{Cite web|url=https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/new-12-000-seat-soccer-stadium-part-of-spruce-meadows-future-plan-1.4599320|title=New 12,000-seat soccer stadium part of Spruce Meadows future plan|date=September 18, 2019|website=Calgary|language=en|access-date=September 20, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/cavalryfc-spruce-meadows-calgary-foothills-county-1.5287416|title=12,000-seat Cavalry FC soccer stadium and field house part of future vision of Spruce Meadows|last=McGarvey|first=Dan|date=September 19, 2019|website=CBC News|access-date=September 20, 2019}} The record attendance for a game at ATCO Field is 7,052, during the 2024 Canadian Premier League final.{{citeweb|url=https://calgaryherald.com/sports/cavalry-finally-win-the-north-star-cup-after-win-over-nemesis-forge|title='Taste the champagne': Cavalry FC takes down nemesis Forge in CPL finale|website=Calgary Herald|author=Todd Saelhof|date=November 9, 2024}}

Because ATCO Field is not suited to hosting matches in Canadian winter, Cavalry have played their February home games in the CONCACAF Champions Cup at Starlight Stadium, a 6,000-seat multi-purpose stadium in Langford, British Columbia and home to fellow CPL club Pacific FC.{{cite web |url=https://cavalryfc.canpl.ca/article/club-statement-2024-concacaf-champions-cup-round-one-venue |title=Club Statement Regarding 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One Venue |publisher=Cavalry FC |date=December 15, 2023 |access-date=December 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215182122/https://cavalryfc.canpl.ca/article/club-statement-2024-concacaf-champions-cup-round-one-venue |archive-date=December 15, 2023 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://cavalryfc.canpl.ca/article/2025-concacaf-champions-cup-round-one |title=Cavalry FC to Play 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One Home Match at Starlight Stadium in Langford, BC |publisher=Cavalry FC |date=December 13, 2024 |access-date=December 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214220404/https://cavalryfc.canpl.ca/article/2025-concacaf-champions-cup-round-one |archive-date=December 14, 2024 |url-status=live}}

The Foot Soldiers are a group originally formed in 2015 to support USL League Two club Calgary Foothills and the Calgary Foothills UWS team. The supporters group began supporting Cavalry in the lead-up to the first match, with the group's numbers swelling. Fans sitting in sections 108 and 109 have created a group called the Mighty 109 / 108 who sit on the other side of the entrance arch. The Front Line Ultras stand in section 200 and have supported the team since 2019.

{{cite web|url=http://cavalryfc.canpl.ca/article/supporters-voice-sean-clarke-foot-soldiers-sg|title=Supporter's Voice {{!}} Sean Clarke, Foot Soldiers SG|website=Cavalry FC|author=Armen Bedakian|date=July 11, 2018|access-date=July 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427195823/https://cavalryfc.canpl.ca/article/supporters-voice-sean-clarke-foot-soldiers-sg|archive-date=April 27, 2019|url-status=dead}}

Al Classico

File:Forge FC vs Cavalry FC.jpg]]

The Al Classico existed with FC Edmonton as a geographical rivalry between the two Alberta-based clubs in the Canadian Premier League. The rivalry is part of a larger sporting rivalry between teams based in Calgary and Edmonton; the two largest cities in the province.{{Cite news|url=http://edmontonsun.com/sports/soccer/edmonton-the-next-stop-for-canadian-premier-league|title=Edmonton the next stop for Canadian Premier League|last=Van Diest|first=Derek|date=June 7, 2018|work=Edmonton Sun|access-date=July 4, 2018}} The Wildrose Cup was awarded annually to the team that wins the most points from the series in league play (excluding 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), which Cavalry won each year until FC Edmonton ceased operations in 2022.{{cite web |title=Cavalry FC Wins First Silverware With Wildrose Cup |author=John Jacques |url=https://northerntribune.ca/cavalry-fc-wildrose-cup-2019/|work=Northern Tribune |access-date=September 12, 2019 |date=September 12, 2019}}

Cavalry FC–Forge FC rivalry

The Cavalry FC–Forge FC rivalry developed during the 2019 spring season as the two top clubs in the league.{{cite web |title=Cavalry FC vs. Forge FC developing into CPL's best rivalry |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/cavalry-fc-vs-forge-fc-developing-cpls-best-rivalry/ |website=Sportsnet |access-date=July 20, 2019}} The rivalry bled into the 2019 Canadian Championship in which Cavalry defeated Forge 3–2 over two legs on aggregate. The first leg, which resulted in a 1–1 draw, ended with heated altercations between both sides on the pitch, leading to a disciplinary review by the Canadian Soccer Association.{{cite news |last1=Spencer |first1=Donna |title=Cavalry FC advance to face Whitecaps in 3rd round of Canadian Championship |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/cpl/canadian-championship-forge-fc-cavalry-qualifying-round-2-1.5171681 |publisher=CBC News |date=June 12, 2019}}

• Canadian Premier League championship
• Champions (1): 2024
• Runners-up (2): 2019, 2023
• Canadian Premier League Shield
• Champions (2): 2019, 2023

{{updated|April 18, 2025{{cite web|url=https://cavalryfc.canpl.ca/roster|title=Roster|website=cavalryfc.canpl.ca|publisher=Cavalry FC|access-date=April 7, 2022}}}}

{{fs start|nonumber=|bg=335526|color=fff|border=da291d}}

{{Fs player|no=1|nat=CAN|name=Marco Carducci|pos=GK|other=captain}}

{{Fs player|no=2|nat=CAN|name=Michael Harms|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=3|nat=CAN|name=Callum Montgomery|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=5|nat=FRA|name=Bradley Kamdem|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=7|nat=SOM|name=Ali Musse|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=8|nat=AUS|name=Jesse Daley|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=9|nat=DEU|name=Tobias Warschewski|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=10|nat=CAN|name=Sergio Camargo|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=11|nat=NZL|name=Jay Herdman|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=12|nat=IRL|name=Tom Field|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=14|nat=LCA|name=Caniggia Elva|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=15|nat=ENG|name=Levi Laing|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=17|nat=DEU|name=Nicolas Wähling|pos=FW}}

{{fs mid|nonumber=|bg=335526|color=fff|border=da291d}}

{{Fs player|no=18|nat=CAN|name=Maël Henry|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=19|nat=MLD|name=Mihail Gherasimencov|pos=DF|other=on loan from Whitecaps FC 2}}

{{Fs player|no=20|nat=CAN|name=Owen Antoniuk|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=21|nat=CAN|name=Joseph Holliday|pos=GK}}

{{Fs player|no=23|nat=CAN|name=Chanan Chanda|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=24|nat=CAN|name=Eryk Kobza|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=26|nat=CAN|name=Shamit Shome|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=27|nat=CAN|name=Diego Gutiérrez|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=28|nat=CAN|name=Niko Myroniuk|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=30|nat=CAN|name=James McGlinchey|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=31|nat=CAN|name=Neven Fewster|pos=GK}}

{{Fs player|no=33|nat=CAN|name=Fraser Aird|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=55|nat=PHI|name=Michael Baldisimo|pos=MF}}

{{fs end|nonumber=|bg=335526|color=fff|border=da291d}}

{{updated|May 21, 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://cavalryfc.canpl.ca/coaching-staff|title=Coaching Staff|accessdate=May 1, 2022}}

{{updated|November 10, 2024}}

1. Average attendance include statistics from league matches only.

2. Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in league season, league playoffs, Canadian Championship, CONCACAF League, and other competitive continental matches.

: Scores and results list Cavalry FC's goal tally first.

Cavalry operates a reserve team, Cavalry FC U21, in League1 Alberta.{{cite web|url=https://calgarysun.com/sports/cavalry-soccer-scene-boosted-by-arrival-of-under-21-squad|title=Cavalry, soccer scene boosted by arrival of under-21 squad|date=May 12, 2023|first=Todd|last=Saelhof|work=Calgary Sun}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |last=Strasser |first=Scott |title=Here Come the Cavalry! |date=May 13, 2024 |publisher=FriesenPress |publication-place=Altona, MB |isbn=978-1038306548}}

{{commons}}

• {{Official website}}

{{Cavalry FC}}

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Category:2018 establishments in Alberta

Category:Association football clubs established in 2018

Category:Soccer clubs in Calgary

Category:Canadian Premier League teams