Cavalry FC

Last updated

Cavalry FC
Cavalry FC logo.svg
Full nameCavalry Football Club [1]
Short nameCavs [2] [3] [4]
FoundedMay 5, 2018;6 years ago (2018-05-05)
Stadium
Capacity6,000 (ATCO Field)
6,000 (Starlight Stadium)
Owner Spruce Meadows Sports & Entertainment
PresidentIan Allison
Coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
League Canadian Premier League
2024 Regular season: 2nd
Playoffs: Champions
Website http://cavalryfc.canpl.ca
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

Cavalry Football Club, is a Canadian professional soccer club based in the Calgary metropolitan region of Alberta. The club competes at the top of the Canadian soccer league system in the Canadian Premier League, and plays their home matches at ATCO Field on the grounds of Spruce Meadows in Foothills County.

Contents

The team is managed by Tommy Wheeldon Jr. and owned by Spruce Meadows Sports & Entertainment. [5]

History

On May 5, 2018, Calgary was one of four cities accepted by the Canadian Soccer Association for professional club membership. [6]

Cavalry FC was announced on May 17, 2018, as the second team to officially join the Canadian Premier League. [7] 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. [8]

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. [9] [10] 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. [11] [12]

On June 26, 2019, Cavalry FC qualified for the 2019 Canadian Premier League Championship by winning the inaugural CPL Spring season. [13] 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. [14] In 2019, Cavalry FC goalkeeper Marco Carducci became the first CPL player called up to the Canada men's national soccer team. [15]

A game between Cavalry FC and HFX Wanderers FC during the CPL's inaugural season in 2019. HFX Wanderers FC vs. Cavalry FC (48174115731).jpg
A game between Cavalry FC and HFX Wanderers FC during the CPL's inaugural season in 2019.

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. [16]

Colours and crest

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. [12]

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. [17] The official mascot is a red horse named Sarge.

Stadium

View of ATCO Field from section 203. The field is used by Cavalry FC for home games. Section 203 ATCO Field.jpg
View of ATCO Field from section 203. The field is used by Cavalry FC for home games.

Cavalry FC play at ATCO Field, a 6,000-seat stadium [18] located at Spruce Meadows, at the 'Meadows on the Green' equestrian ring. [19] [20] 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. [21] [22] The record attendance for a game at ATCO Field is 7,052, during the 2024 Canadian Premier League final. [23]

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. [24] [25]

Club culture

Supporters

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. [26]

Rivalries

Al Classico

A game between Cavalry and Forge FC Forge FC vs Cavalry FC.jpg
A game between Cavalry and Forge FC

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. [27] 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. [28]

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. [29] 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. [30]

Honours

Players and staff

Roster

As of December 7, 2024 [31]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Marco Carducci (captain)
3 DF Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Callum Montgomery
4 DF Flag of the Netherlands.svg  NED Daan Klomp
5 DF Flag of France.svg  FRA Bradley Kamdem
6 MF Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Charlie Trafford
7 FW Flag of Somalia.svg  SOM Ali Musse
8 MF Flag of Australia (converted).svg  AUS Jesse Daley
9 FW Flag of Germany.svg  GER Tobias Warschewski
10 MF Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Sergio Camargo
12 DF Flag of Ireland.svg  IRL Tom Field
14 FW Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  TRI Malcolm Shaw
No.Pos.NationPlayer
17 FW Flag of Germany.svg  GER Nicolas Wähling
18 MF Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Maël Henry
23 FW Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Chanan Chanda
24 MF Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Eryk Kobza
26 MF Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Shamit Shome
27 MF Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Diego Gutiérrez
28 MF Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Niko Myroniuk
29 DF Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Michael Harms
31 GK Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Joseph Holliday
33 MF Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Fraser Aird
80 FW Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Lowell Wright

Staff

As of May 21, 2024 [32]
Executive
Owner, chairman, and CEO Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Linda Southern-Heathcott
President and COO Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ian Alisson
General manager Flag of England.svg Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
Assistant general manager Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Tofa Fakunle
Coaching staff
Head coach Flag of England.svg Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
Technical director and assistant coach Flag of England.svg Jonathan Wheeldon
Assistant coach Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Nik Ledgerwood
Goalkeeper coach Flag of the United States.svg Jake Davis

Head coaches

As of November 10, 2024
CoachNationTenureRecord
GWDLWin %
Tommy Wheeldon Jr. Flag of England.svg  England May 17, 2018 – present178914443051.12

Club captains

YearsNameNation
2019–2021 [33] Nikolas Ledgerwood Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
2022 [34] Mason Trafford Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
2023–present [35] Marco Carducci Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada

Record

Year-by-year

SeasonLeaguePlayoffs CC Continental Average
attendance
Top goalscorer(s)
DivLeaguePldWDLGFGAGDPtsPPGPos.NameGoals
2019 1 CPL 2819545119+32622.211st RU SF Ineligible3,292 Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg Dominique Malonga 13
2020 CPL 105141411+3161.60DNQ DNQ DNQN/A Flag of England.svg Jordan Brown
Flag of England.svg Nathan Mavila
3
2021 CPL 2814863430+4501.792nd SF QF 2,544 Flag of Ireland.svg Joe Mason 8
2022 CPL 2814593933+6471.683rd SF QF 3,492 Flag of Ireland.svg Joe Mason 8
2023 CPL 2816754627+19551.961st RU PR 4,090 Flag of New Zealand.svg Myer Bevan 11
2024 CPL 28121243927+12481.392nd W QF Champions Cup R1 4,223 Flag of Germany.svg Tobias Warschewski 15
2025 CPL TBDTBD TBD Champions Cup TBD TBDTBDTBD

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.

International competition

Scores and results list Cavalry FC's goal tally first.
YearCompetitionRoundOpponentHomeAwayAggregate
2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round one Flag of the United States.svg Orlando City SC 0–31–31–6

Reserve team

Cavalry operates a reserve team, Cavalry FC U21, in League1 Alberta. [36]

Related Research Articles

Spruce Meadows is a multi-purpose sports facility near Calgary, Alberta built by the Southern family which opened in 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marco Carducci</span> Canadian soccer player

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Premier League</span> Professional soccer league in Canada

The Canadian Premier League is a professional men's soccer league in Canada. At the top of the Canadian soccer league system, it is the country's primary national soccer league competition. The league consists of eight teams, from five of Canada's ten provinces. Each team plays 28 games in the regular season which is followed by playoffs culminating in the CPL Finals.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forge FC</span> Professional soccer team in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

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The 2019 Cavalry FC season was the first season in the club's history, as well as the first season in Canadian Premier League history.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">ATCO Field</span> Soccer stadium near Calgary, Alberta, Canada

ATCO Field is a soccer stadium at Spruce Meadows in Foothills County, Alberta, Canada. It is home to Cavalry FC of the Canadian Premier League. The venue also serves as the home for several equestrian events spanning two to four weeks per year. ATCO, the Canadian corporation from which the stadium gets its name, is also owned by the Southern family.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cavalry FC–Forge FC rivalry</span> Soccer rivalry between Canadian teams

The Cavalry–Forge rivalry refers to a soccer rivalry which has grown between Calgary-based Cavalry FC and Forge FC of Hamilton, Ontario. The two clubs began play in 2019 and faced each other nine times that season with all matches being decided by one goal or fewer. The clubs were the top teams in the inaugural Canadian Premier League season and the natural rivalry that developed between them has been described as the best in the league.

The 2024 Cavalry FC season is the sixth season in the history of Cavalry FC. In addition to the Canadian Premier League, the club competed in the Canadian Championship and, for the first time ever, in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

The 2024 Canadian Premier League final was the sixth edition of the CPL Finals, the post-season championship of the Canadian Premier League, the top level of Canadian soccer, which determined the winner of the 2024 Canadian Premier League season. It was played on November 9, 2024 at ATCO Field in Foothills County, Alberta between Cavalry FC and Forge FC. The 2024 final was a rematch of the 2023 final which was hosted and won by Forge FC.

References

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  32. "Coaching Staff" . Retrieved May 1, 2022.
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Further reading