Being a league champion has its privileges.
Canadian Premier League-champion Pacific FC has been awarded a first-round bye in the 2022 Canadian Championship tournament for the Voyageurs Cup, which is sa国际传媒 Soccer’s equivalent of the FA Cup in England. It is part of the organic nature of soccer, in which almost all national federations host similar cup competition featuring teams of all pro levels.
Also receiving first-round byes are 2021 Canadian Championship winner CF Montréal of Major League Soccer and 2021 finalist Toronto FC of MLS, the latter which beat Island-based PFC 2-1 in the semifinals last fall at BMO Field.
The Vancouver Whitecaps of MLS, shock losers to PFC at a packed Starlight Stadium in the opening round in 2021, are to be drawn out of the West pot in the draw to be held next Wednesday. Also in that pot are CPL clubs Cavalry FC of Calgary, Valour FC of Winnipeg and FC Edmonton. The East pot will consist of CPL teams Forge FC of Hamilton, York United FC, Atlético Ottawa and the HFX Wanderers of Halifax. The third pot will consist of defending League1 Ontario champion Guelph United and Première ligue de soccer du Québec-champion CS Mont-Royal Outremont. The inaugural champion of the new sa国际传媒 League1, beginning operations this year with the Victoria Highlanders a charter member, will receive a spot in this pot in the 2023 tournament.
The first round of the 2022 tournament will be held May 10-12. Pacific FC, TFC and CF Montréal will join the fray in the quarter-final stage May 24-26. The semifinals are June 21-23 and the final in July.
The format is one-game, single knockout.
The 2022 Voyageurs Cup champion will receive an automatic berth in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League.
CORNER KICKS: sa国际传媒 Soccer also announced the 2020 Canadian Championship game between Toronto FC and Forge FC, postponed due to the pandemic, will be played June 4 at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton with the clubs using their current rosters.
