Format
The format for the 2026 tournament largely follows previous years. [4] Seeding was determined using an expanded Canadian Championship ranking index, which evaluated teams based on their performance in the tournament over the previous four years, with recent results weighted more heavily. [5] New for 2026, the four highest seeded teams were assigned positions in the bracket to guarantee that they cannot face each other until the semi-finals. [4]
The 2026 Canadian Championship will consist of four rounds. The preliminary round and final consists of single matches while the quarter-finals and semi-finals are two-legged ties. For each round, draws will be settled by extra time and, if required, a penalty shoot-out. [6]
Dates
| Round | First leg | Second leg |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary round | May 5–10 | |
| Quarter-finals | July 8 | July 12–13† |
| Semi-finals | September 1–3 | September 15–17 |
| Final | October 21 | |
†and August 11 if Toronto FC qualify.
Teams
CF Montréal; 
FC Supra du Québec; 
CS Saint-Laurent Toronto area clubs:
Toronto FC; Inter Toronto; Woodbridge Strikers Vancouver area clubs:
Vancouver Whitecaps; Vancouver FC; Langley United Calgary area clubs:
Cavalry FC; Calgary Blizzard Canadian Premier League Major League Soccer League1 Canada
| Rank | League | Team | Location | Entry round | App. | Previous best (last) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Major League Soccer | Vancouver Whitecaps | Vancouver, BC | Quarter-finals | 18th | Winners (2025) |
| 2 | Canadian Premier League | Forge FC | Hamilton, Ontario | Preliminary round | 8th | Runners-up (2020) |
| 3 | Major League Soccer | Toronto FC | Toronto, Ontario | 19th | Winners (2020) | |
| 4 | CF Montréal | Montreal, Quebec | 18th | Winners (2021) | ||
| 5 | Canadian Premier League | Pacific FC | Langford, BC | 7th | Semi-finals (2024) | |
| 6 | Atlético Ottawa | Ottawa, Ontario | 6th | Semi-finals (2025) | ||
| 7 | Vancouver FC | Langley, BC | 4th | Runners-up (2025) | ||
| 8 | Inter Toronto | Toronto, Ontario | 7th | Semi-finals (2022) | ||
| 9 | Cavalry FC | Foothills County, Alberta | 7th | Semi-finals (2019) | ||
| 10 | HFX Wanderers FC | Halifax, Nova Scotia | 7th | Quarter-finals (2022) | ||
| 11 | FC Supra du Québec | Laval, Quebec | 1st | — | ||
| 12 | League1 Canada (division champions) | Langley United (L1BC) | Langley, BC | 1st | — | |
| 13 | CS Saint-Laurent (L1QC) | Montreal, Quebec | 2nd | Quarter-finals (2024) | ||
| 14 | Woodbridge Strikers (L1ON) | Vaughan, Ontario | 1st | — | ||
| 15 | Calgary Blizzard (L1AB) | Calgary, Alberta | 1st | — | ||