INBOX: Halifax Tides have appointed of Stephen Hart as head coach, dropping the interim tag from the Trinidadian-Canadian. The #NSL club have also welcomed Ruth Fahy from MLS’ #Rapids96 as VP of Football, as well as confirmed their initial 2026 returnees (below). #HFXTidesFC

"Everybody knows the things I stand for, and how I think politically, so probably the United States is not the best place to go, in this moment." — Vanni listing factors in his decision to take on the Wanderers project; alzate i gomiti!

Packed house as @hfxwanderersfc.bsky.social founder and president Derek Martin welcomes Vanni Sartini as the club’s new head coach and general manager. #CanPL

Meet Inter Toronto Football Club: Gone are the blue and green of York United, and in are the blue and yellow of the Canadian Premier League’s newest brand identity. #CanPL ✍️ @brandonfque.bsky.social

A big surprise appearance at Inter Toronto’s brand launch: 2022 #CanPL MVP Ollie Bassett is in the house. Bassett says the discussions with Mauro Eustáquio and then-York United began back in September when it “became clear” he would be a free agent at the end of the season.

OLLIE BASSETT WILL PLAY FOR THE NINE STRIPES! 🚨 The Canadian Premier League’s 2022 MVP will join Inter Toronto FC — formerly York United — after a spell south of the border with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL. #CanPL 📸 Matt Zambonin/Freestyle Photography

OFFICIALLY UNVEILED: Inter Toronto’s new badge, colours and name are here. Blue remains a mainstay, but the green secondary of the York9 and York United eras has been replaced by yellow and white, with grey highlights. #InterTorontoFC | #CanPL

York United will go through another rebrand today, changing its name to Inter Toronto FC. The club, originally launched as York9 FC, rebranded to York United after just two seasons and will now change its look and name once more as it enters its eighth season. #CanPL 📸 David Chant

A message from the @redriverrising.ca board: #ValourFC #CanPL

It's official: Valour FC is closing down. The #CanPL had looked for investors after ownership informed the league it intended to suspend operations, but was unable to find a viable solution.

IN THIS WEEK’S NEWSLETTER 📰 🏆 @vancouverrisefc.bsky.social are NSL Champions 🗓️ MLS has shifted its Calendar 🇨🇦 Historic World Cup for #CANM17 🇪🇨 #CanMNT draw with Ecuador 🌍 @abroad.canucks-abroad.ca 🍁 CPL, NSL & MLS recaps w/ DARBY Magazine | Read & Subscribe for FREE ⤵️

🏆 @VancouverRiseFC CHAMPIONS! Holly Ward's 67th-minute crowd-silencer serves the decisive goal as Anja Heiner-Møller's side defeats AFC Toronto, 2-1, in the inaugural #NSLFinal! #VanRiseFC's trophy lift of the Diana B. Matheson Cup is up next.

Announced attendance at BMO Field for this afternoon's #NSLFinal: 12,429. Alongside an attendance of 13,132 in Ottawa last weekend for the #CanPL Final, 🇨🇦⚽️ fans have shown out.

WARD MAKES IT TWO. Vancouver have turned it around from one-nil down to 2-1 up, thanks to #CanWNT/#CanXNT winger Holly Ward striking it low and around a diving Cota-Yarde! 67' - #AFCToronto 1-2 #VanRiseFC | #NSLFinal

WARD MAKES IT TWO. Vancouver have turned it around from one-nil down to 2-1 up, thanks to #CanWNT/#CanXNT winger Holly Ward striking it low and around a diving Cota-Yarde! 67' - #AFCToronto 1-2 #VanRiseFC | #NSLFinal

RISE TO THE OCCASION. Rise have tied it up thanks to first-half substitute Nikki Stanton — stunning the home crowd after the midfielder's deliverey from the corner bounded off Cota-Yarde, the near post, and in. 54' - #AFCToronto 1-1 #VanRiseFC | #NSL

An update from BMO Field: teams will be back on the pitch for kickoff (or, more apropos, drop ball) momentarily, restarting in the 38th minute. Both teams will then get a full 15-minute-long half-time. #NSL

⛈️ 38 minutes into the #NSL Final. Mother nature hasn't been playing nice with domestic knockout footy matches, and that trend isn't stopping today. A flash of lightning + a boom of thunder, and everyone sent in immediately.

Rain on #VanRiseFC's parade... both figuratively and literally. Torrential downpour and seconds later, Quinn collides with Okoronkwo at midfield; they're straight down the tunnel and Heiner-Møller immediately calls on Nicole Stanton. 37' - #AFCToronto 1-0 #VanRiseFC | #NSL

KAYLEE HUNTER. The phenom DOES blow the lid off BMO Field with the first goal of this Final, slotting it between the legs of McAslan! Rough for McAslan, who had pulled out an impossible stop on Emma Regan just minutes ago. 15' - #AFCToronto 1-0 #VanRiseFC | #NSL

KAYLEE HUNTER, ALMOST. The 17-year-old nearly blows the lid off BMO Field with her back-post finish hitting the side netting. Aside from the midfield battle, Regan's quality from set-pieces and wide areas is another one to watch. 9' - #AFCToronto 0-0 #VanRiseFC | #NSL

KICKOFF - And we're off! 👏 @nlights-sg.bsky.social

#NSL Final XIs are in from both clubs, and both teams making zero changes from their semifinal starters. Supporters alike getting their promised Regan/Small vs. Chang/Quinn midfield battle — and the high-firepower attack from both #AFCToronto and #VanRiseFC.

Evan Solomon, Minister Responsible for FedDev Southern Ontario, announces a $5.45m investment into the #NSL and women’s soccer in Canada. In southern Ontario, it “includes the intent to make investments to enhance the stadium and training facilities for Ottawa Rapid FC and AFC Toronto.”

A drizzle has set in at BMO Field, causing a lightning warning announcement to come through the PA system in the last few minutes. No fans in the stadium yet — though some are out on the concourse and outside the stadium. #NSL

The Diana B. Matheson Cup is on the line TODAY as #AFCToronto and #VanRiseFC sit less than two hours away from kickoff in the inaugural #NSL Final. Setting up to be a good one at BMO Field.

#NSL president Christina Litz and founder Diana Matheson are next, giving a spotlight address. Litz opening her address by pointing out the last time Toronto had snow on November 9th — the postponed Toronto/Montréal SF — was 1995. “That’s 30 years ago for those doing the math.”

#AFCToronto and #VanRiseFC head coaches Marko Milanovic and Anja Heiner-Møller taking the stage at #NSL Finals Media Day. Milanovic joked before the pair came on-stage that he was hoping the Rise’s flights would have been delayed to give AFC a leg up for Saturday’s Final.

Down at CBC Media HQ in Toronto for #NSL Finals Media Day ahead of Saturday’s final! The Diana B. Matheson Cup getting its minutes on display in front of media ahead of the coaches’ pre-match press conference. More to come.

✅ @AFC_Toronto ARE IN THE #NSL FINAL! A snowstorm of goals, including a first-half hat trick from the on-fire Esther Okoronkwo sends the Toronto club into the deciding match, 6-1 (agg) over Montréal! Big statement ahead of next weekend's "neutral site" final at BMO Field.

GOAL - Lauren Rowe restores AFC Toronto's three-goal lead on the night! A n-ice-ly struck side-footed finish — but the talking point will have to be Rowe and substitute April Lantaigne (in short sleeves and short socks, no less) doing the worm in the snow. 85' - TOR 4-1 MTL | #NSL

GOAL - Tanya Boychuk pulls a goal back for Montréal as the snow gets heavier and heavier in North York! Still a long way to getting back to parity in the tie for #RosesFC, but they've at least broken their cold snap in front of goal. 74' - TOR 3-1 MTL | #NSL

Esther Okoronkwo is in a bit of discomfort here — a knee-to-knee collision with Lucy Cappadona — but looks like will continue on. Oh, and she's just side-footed touched a ball down, after giving Milanovic a thumbs up. #AFCToronto | #NSL

GOAL - For snow-dusted playoff matches, the snow really hasn't been affecting anyone playing in red. Esther Okoronkwo completes an #NSL -record speed hat-trick inside a half-hour with another finish that was all too simple for the Roses to give up. 28' - TOR 3-0 MTL | #NSL

GOAL - Montréal's deficit is now FOUR. AFC Toronto are maintaining a nine-goal pace this evening as Okoronkwo doubles her tally on the night with a defensive calamity for the Roses. Cappadona took a swipe at Okoronkwo's low FK from wide, missed it, and so did Karpenko. 22' - TOR 2-0 MTL | #NSL

GOAL - AFC Toronto pad their advantage early! Victoria Pickett splits the Roses' back line with a dime of a ball to Kaylee Hunter flying down the right — and all Hunter has to do is slip to Esther Okoronkwo as she has, all season. 7' - TOR 1-0 (2-0 agg) MTL | #NSL

For the second time in two nights of Canadian domestic playoff footy... we have a neon ball sighting 👀 #NSL, despite a clean pitch, have a fluorescent yellow ball prepped for tonight's semi-final in Toronto.

28 hours later... we're back at York Lions Stadium for an #NSL semi-final between #AFCToronto and #RosesFC! No changes to either starting XI but Kaela Hansen is back on the bench for Toronto with Sofia Manner landing on the unavailable list.

Take two on AFC Toronto and Montréal Roses' #NSL semi-final is full steam ahead at York Lions Stadium! Much better conditions after the grounds crew had the day to shovel and thaw out the four-year-old artificial turf which, per reports, was as hard a rock yesterday.

Relive David Rodriguez’s brace but with stadium sound only 🏟️⚽️ #CanPL 🎥 OneSoccer

Not a bad first time to experience snow ❄️ #CanPL 📸 Tim Austen/Canadian Premier League

🗣 Atlético Ottawa head coach Diego Mejía laughed off the snowy chaos that surrounded his team’s Canadian Premier League final victory, saying, “This is not a soccer match. This is not soccer, guys. But even if we were playing in water, in a pool, we would win.” #CanPL 📸 Vitor Munhoz/CPL

🏆 @atletiOttawa ARE NORTH STAR CUP CHAMPIONS! The capital club avenge their Finals loss from three seasons ago, becoming #CanPL champions for the first time in their history! David Rodríguez with an Finals MVP-worthy brace. 📷 Atlético Ottawa - Philippe Lariviere (@phil_lrv)

DAVID RODRÍGUEZ. OTTAWA LEAD IN THE 106TH MINUTE AS RODRÍGUEZ CHIPS AN ONRUSHING MARCO CARDUCCI. 106' - ATO 2-1 CAV | #CanPL

▶️ Extra time is underway in Ottawa with a mostly-cleared pitch, and it's kicked off with a bang. Noah Abatneh with an absolutely crunching challenge on Goteh Ntignee that only results in a yellow. 📷 #CanPL - Vitor Munhoz

DAVID. RODRÍGUEZ. BIKE. IN THE SNOW. OTTAWA BACK LEVEL. 41' - ATO 1-1 CAV | #CanPL

FRASER AIRD! The #CavsFC right-back steps up and in a parallel to the 2024 #CanPL Final, @CPLCavalryFC take the lead from the spot! Kévin Dos Santos the one penalized after bringing down Goteh Ntignee inside the 18. 33' - ATO 0-1 CAV | #CanPL

Both teams are flying out of the gates, despite the weather. Rodríguez with an opportunity to chip Carducci just two minutes in, while Warschewski tried to play Elva and Musse in a couple minutes later. 5' - ATO 0-0 CAV | #CanPL

☃️ The snow hasn't stopped in the nation's capital — the Final now under a 20-minute delay (as of 5pm ET) as the crews at TD Place work on the snow. AFC Toronto and Montréal Roses had their semi-final in Toronto postponed after a 38-minute delay. 📷 #CanPL - Tim Austen

116 matches down, one to go in the #CanPL. XIs are submitted and official in Ottawa as @atletiottawa play for redemption from 2022, and @cplcavalryfc look to defend their title from 2024. First-team service, as expected, for both sides; including Sergio Camargo available for Cavalry.