Vancouver Whitecaps FC host defending Canadian Champions Toronto FC on TSN

The first leg of the 2018 Canadian Championship Final Round kicks off at BC Place in Vancouver, BC at 19:00 PT LIVE on TSN1, TSN4, and RDS2 as 2017 Canadian Championship winners Toronto FC face Vancouver Whitecaps FC for Canada’s place in the Concacaf Champions League.
 
Toronto FC, whose 2017 treble-winning season also included MLS Supporters Shield, and MLS Cup Final trophies, were 2018 Concacaf Champions League Finalists. The six-time Canadian Championship winners defeated Qualifying Round winners Ottawa Fury FC 4:0 on aggregate in their Semi-Final Round matchup.
 
“Canadian Championship winners have achieved tremendous results against the top clubs in Concacaf after qualifying for Champions League play,” said Canada Soccer General Secretary Peter Montopoli. “With the growth of the competition in 2018 and future growth slated for 2019, clubs in this country will continue to put tremendous emphasis on this important competition.”
 
Vancouver Whitecaps FC advanced to the Final by defeating Montreal Impact FC 2:1 on aggregate in the Semi-Final Round and look to return to Champions League play having previously won the 2015 Canadian Championship.
 
The matchup could see young Canadian phenoms Alphonso Davies and Jonathan Osorio go head to head as part of the Canadian Content rules. Since 2017, each team is required to field a minimum of three starters who are currently eligible to represent Canada in international play.
 
Davies and Osorio are two of Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team bright young stars as Canada gears up for the Concacaf Nations League and 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™ Qualifiers.  Davies recently signed an MLS record transfer to FC Bayern Munich in Germany, and Osorio’s performances in the 2018 Conacacf Champions League were a key factor in Toronto FC’s historic run.
 
The Voyageurs Cup will be raised at the completion of the Final Round second leg which goes August 15 at BMO Field. Kickoff will be at 19:45 ET LIVE across Canada on TSN1, TSN4, RDS2 and the TSN Go platform.
 
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
AS Blainville advance 3:1 on aggregate.
 
2QR – Second Qualifying Round
 
2018-06-20 – AS Blainville 0:1 Ottawa Fury FC
2018-06-27 – Ottawa Fury FC 1:0 AS Blainville
Ottawa Fury FC advance 2:0 on aggregate
 
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 2:2 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).