Canada Soccer – Toronto FC will face Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the 2018 Canadian Championship Final Round. The two Canadian teams will face each other in the Battle of the North final with Canada’s place in the 2019 Concacaf Champions League on the line. 
 
The first leg is Wednesday 8 August in Vancouver with the return leg one week later on 15 August in Toronto. Both matches will be broadcast LIVE across Canada on TSN and RDS.
 
Toronto FC defeated Qualifying Round winner Ottawa Fury FC 3:0 (4:0 on aggregate) at BMO Field on July 25. TFC’s goals came from from Brampton’s Alo Akinola, Toronto FC’s Man of the Match, Scarborough’s Jordan Hamilton and Brampton’s Jonathan Osorio. The 2017 Canadian Championship winners will now face Vancouver in a rematch of the 2017 Canadian Championship Final.
 
“The Canadian Championship is something we take great pride in, especially myself as a Canadian player,” said Toronto FC’s Jordan Hamilton. “We go for it every year, so, to get on the roll that we’re on right now and get into the Final is good for us.” 
 
Vancouver Whitecaps FC came back from a 1:0 first leg scoreline to win the second leg 2:0 (2:1 on aggregate) at BC Place on July 25. Vancouver went ahead in the first half on a goal from Yordy Reyna in the 19’.  In the second half, the Impact conceded a penalty call in the 60’ and Kai Kamara scored to put the tie out of reach. Vancouver seek to return to Champions League play for only the second time in their history after making the Semi-final in 2015-16.
 
“This is a competition that is important to this club,” said Whitecaps’ Russell Teibert. “The opportunity to get back to the Concacaf Champions League where we’ve had some success in the past will push us in the Final.”

2018 Canadian Championship Schedule (home team listed first)
 
1QR – First Qualifying Round
 
2018-06-06 – AS Blainville 2:1 Oakville Blue Devils
2018-06-13 – Oakville Blue Devils 0:1 AS Blainville
 
2QR – Second Qualifying Round
 
2018-06-20 – AS Blainville 0:1 Ottawa Fury FC
2018-06-27 – Ottawa Fury FC 1:0 AS Blainville – 19.30 ET / 16.30 PT
 
SF – Semi-Final Round
 
2018-07-18 – Ottawa Fury FC 0:1 Toronto FC
2018-07-18 – Impact de Montréal 1:0 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2018-07-25 – Toronto FC 3:0 Ottawa Fury FC
2018-07-25 – Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2:0 Impact de Montréal
 
Final Round
2018-08-08 – Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Toronto FC
2018-08-15 – Toronto FC v Vancouver Whitecaps FC
 
About the Canadian Championship

• The Canadian Championship is Canada Soccer’s highest domestic professional soccer competition and it is the sole qualification route for Canadian professional clubs into Concacaf Champions League and onto the FIFA Club World Cup
• The current champions are Toronto FC who have won the tournament six times
• Canadian content is a focus of the content and since 2017 competition regulations state that each team must field a minimum of three Canadian starters for each match
• The Voyageurs Cup has been awarded to the Canadian Championship winner since 2008; created by the Voyageurs Canadian Supporters group, the trophy represents Canadian fans’ commitment to the game in our country
• The George Gross Memorial Trophy recognizes the Canadian Championship’s most valuable player, with Sebastian Giovinco the reigning winner in 2017; the award is named after the late George Gross, an honoured member of the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame
• In 2018, the competition will feature six clubs from four different leagues: Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Toronto FC and Impact de Montréal from Major League Soccer (all earn automatic berths to the Semi-finals); Ottawa Fury FC from the United Soccer Leagues (who enter in the Second Qualifying Round); Oakville Blue Devils from League1 Ontario (who enter in the First Qualifying Round); and AS Blainville from the Première ligue de soccer du Québec (who also enter in the First Qualifying Round)
• Since 2008, three Canadian winners have reached the Quarter-final stage or further in Concacaf Champions League: Toronto FC twice (Semi-finals in 2011-12 and Grand Final in 2018); Impact de Montréal twice (Quarter-finals in 2008-09 and Grand Final in 2014-15); and Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Semi-finals in 2016-17)
 

MEDIA CONTACT / CONTACT MÉDIAS
Brad Fougere
Corporate Communications | Gestionnaire, Communications corporatives
bfougere@canadasoccer.com
m. +1 613.299.1587

Richard Scott
Men’s National Teams Program | Programme de l’équipe nationale masculine
rscott@canadasoccer.com
m. +1 613.818.0305

Carrie Croft
Women’s National Teams Program | Programme de l’équipe nationale féminine
ccroft@canadasoccer.com
m. +1 613.406.4986