A New Era for Soccer in Quebec: Canadian Premier League Set to Kick Off in Province in 2026

Montreal-area club to debut during CPL’s eighth season in April 2026; club branding & identity to be revealed Wednesday night

TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Premier League (CPL) today announced that Quebec will welcome its first-ever CPL club in 2026, bringing the league’s dynamic brand of professional soccer and unique ability to spark local and global connections to the province for the first time, with a team in the Greater Montreal Area.

The new club is set to debut during the CPL’s eighth season, which will kick off in April 2026. Its arrival marks a significant milestone for the game in Canada, opening the door for players and supporters in the Greater Montreal Area and the province as a whole to engage with Canada’s top men’s domestic competition in a direct and meaningful way. By establishing a vibrant local presence that will represent a new professional pathway in the province, the CPL and its new club will aim to inspire young athletes, energize communities, and help influence Canadian soccer both on and off the pitch.

“Moving into Quebec represents more than adding a new CPL market; it’s a strategic cornerstone of our coast-to-coast vision for Canadian professional soccer,” said James Johnson, Group CEO, Canadian Soccer Business.

“Establishing a CPL club in the Greater Montreal Area fills a competitive gap and showcases our homegrown talent nationally and internationally, while opening doors to one of the country’s most vibrant and influential business regions. Quebec’s strong economy and passionate sports community create unparalleled opportunities for investment, sponsorship, and media reach, strengthening our national footprint, uniting diverse audiences, and ensuring Canadian soccer is positioned to thrive well beyond 2026.”

The new CPL club will play its matches at Stade Boréale in Laval, the official home of Roses FC, a founding club of the Northern Super League. Originally designed and built to host Montreal’s women’s professional team, the new club has entered into a lease with Roses FC for the use of Stade Boréale. The stadium will also house the club’s training facilities and offices. It will officially unveil its name, crest, and colours this evening during a special event held at Complex Multi-Sports de Laval. Soccer fans across the country can tune into the announcement beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on OneSoccer and OneSoccer’s YouTube channel.

The CPL’s first Quebec-based club is led by an ownership group with deep ties to the region and the game and with a wide array of experience across the real estate, marketing, media, technology, sports, entertainment, specialty retail and food and agriculture sectors. It includes:

Matt Rizzetta, the Founder and Managing Partner of Underdog Global Partners, a diversified sports, media and entertainment portfolio. An entrepreneur and investor, Rizzetta previously built and scaled marketing services firm North 6th Agency into a Top 50 firm in the United States and later founded North Sixth Group. A passionate supporter of global sports, he is the President of Campobasso FC, women’s club Res Roma (rebranded as Donna Roma), and Napoli Basketball, and he previously led the acquisition of Brooklyn FC. Rizzetta is the author of two books, co-creator and executive producer of ESPN TV series “Running With the Wolves,” and an advisor on merger and acquisitions in sports and media. Rizzetta will serve as club Chairman and represent the club on the CPL’s Board of Governors.
Angelo Pasto, the President of Stanford Properties Group Inc. an independent, Quebec-based real estate development firm operating in Canada and Central America. Angelo also owns a stake in Campobasso FC, women’s club Donna Roma, Brooklyn FC and Napoli Basketball. Mr. Pasto earned his BA from Concordia University in Montreal and his MBA and MIB from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles. He lectures in finance and project management at Vanier College in Montreal, Que.
Stéphane Tétrault, a proud entrepreneur and passionate collector from Quebec, who founded Imports Dragon. He is also the owner of EB Games Canada and co-owner of Mastermind Toys and McFarlane Toys, where he has built partnerships with global icons like the NHL, NFL, MLB, Disney, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Beyond business, he has donated millions of dollars in toys and support to children across Canada through charities including Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada, Holiday Helpers, Toys for Tots, Action Nouvelle Vie and others.

Jean-François Chenail, a Quebec-based entrepreneur; co-founder and CEO of Chenail Import Export, a food distribution company with more than 250 employees; owner of Via Trans International; and active in real estate development. Soccer is deeply rooted in Chenail’s family: both his children played at high levels, and his daughter currently plays NCAA Division I. Chenail, a lifelong supporter of the sport, has long backed young athletes and local clubs, and sees soccer as a powerful way to build Quebec’s future.

Former Canadian international Rocco Placentino, an influential leader in Quebec’s soccer landscape and co-founder of the CPL’s new Quebec-based club, will assume the role of President, bringing his experience and passion to further advance Canadian soccer.

Born in Montreal, Placentino played professionally in both Italy and Canada, including key seasons with the Montreal Impact, and earned a cap with Canada’s senior men’s national team. After his playing career, Placentino helped guide CS Saint-Laurent to prominence in Ligue1 Quebec, establishing the club as one of the province’s elite development programs.

“Quebec is producing world-class talent, and with the arrival of a Canadian Premier League team in the province, we now have a platform that will allow local players to shine, inspire the next generations, and compete at the highest level in the country,” said Rocco Placentino, Co-Founder and President. “The club will be made up of homegrown players from Quebec, with a mission to showcase their talent.”

Media interested in attending Wednesday night's in-person brand launch event should RSVP to katrin.ivanov@canpl.ca immediately.

About Canadian Premier League
The Canadian Premier League (CPL), Canada’s Tier 1 domestic men’s soccer league, is committed to its mission of providing opportunities for Canadian players to showcase their abilities on home soil and to gain prominence on the global soccer scene. A link between the amateur and professional games in the country, the CPL develops homegrown talent in support of the growth of Canadian soccer domestically and internationally. The CPL is proud to bring high-quality, professional soccer to communities from coast to coast, partnering with strong ownership groups, world-class corporate partners and passionate supporters to build a league Canadians can proudly support on and off the field. The CPL, which is contesting its seventh season in 2025, plays in Concacaf and FIFA sanctioned competitions. For more updates and information, please visit CanPL.ca

About Canadian Soccer Business
Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) represents a suite of top-tier national assets that are central to the sport of soccer in Canada. This includes representation for all corporate partnerships and media rights (broadcast and distribution) related to Canada Soccer’s core assets including the Men’s and Women’s National Team and the TELUS Canadian Championship, along with all rights associated with the Canadian Premier League (CPL) and League1 Canada.

For more information, please contact:

Laura Armstrong
Senior Director, Communications
Canadian Premier League and Canadian Soccer Business
laura.armstrong@canpl.ca

Katrin Ivanov
Coordinator, Communications
Canadian Premier League and Canadian Soccer Business
katrin.ivanov@canpl.ca

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cbd5d2ae-54f5-4ac7-a935-f9cc7290b84a

CANADIAN PREMIER LEAGUE SET TO KICK OFF IN QUEBEC IN 2026

A Montreal-area CPL club will debut during the league's eighth season, which kicks off in April 2026. Canadian Soccer Business Group CEO James Johnson (pictured) believes moving into Quebec represents more than adding a new CPL market; it’s a strategic cornerstone of CSB's coast-to-coast vision for Canadian professional soccer because it fills a competitive gap, showcases homegrown talent nationally and internationally, and opens doors to one of Canada's most vibrant and influential business regions. The new club's branding & identity will be revealed Wednesday night.

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