With the excitement of the 2026 World Cup games now in the history book, sights are already looking forward to the 2030 event with Spain, Portugal and Morocco mentioned as being co-hosts. The activity for men’s soccer in Canada rests primarily with Major League Soccer (MLS) where Vancouver Whitecaps is one of the leaders in the Western Conference, Toronto FC and Montreal struggle to get some traction in the east. The Canadian Premier League (CPL) continues to display a high level game from coast to coast with Hamilton team Forge FC and Calgary team Cavalry FC looking the best. The Canadian Soccer League (CSL) prepares for its 2026 Championship with an upcoming two-game aggregate championship final between the current champions Scarborough SC and Serbian White Eagles, two teams that have all but dominated the CSL in recent years. Both teams are known for playing attractive soccer, playing at a high level with a mix of import foreign and local players at a time the CSL functions as a regional league in southern Ontario. The fledgling women’s Northern Super League (NSL), now in its second season, is increasing its fan base with Ottawa Rapid FC, Montreal Roses FC and AFC Toronto battling for the top position in the standings.
Scarborough SC goes into the upcoming 2026 two-game CSL Championship final having defeated Serbian White Eagles 1-0 in the 2025 decider, and that victory gave the east Toronto club the double following the league title win earlier in the season. 2025 was the team’s third CSL Championship, having won also in 2019 and 2021.
While it’s been a decade since Serbian White Eagles won the CSL Championship, the club has an enviable history in Canadian soccer and is remembered for qualifying to meet powerhouse CF Monterray of Mexico in the 1975 CONCACAF Champions Cup, an event that helped to put Canada on the global soccer map.
Last season’s CSL final was a physical encounter and ended with just one goal deciding the winner, it was also one of the most attractive of the season.
The first of two games will play the regular 90 minutes at Esther Shiner Stadium on Saturday, August 15, a 2 pm kickoff and the second leg is set for Sunday, September 20 at 2pm to play 90 minutes and an additional 30 minutes of extra time if the aggregate score is tied at the end of regular time. In the event the aggregate score ends in a draw following the extra time, penalty kicks will decide the winner.
A jubilant Scarborough aims to repeat the 2025 CSL Championship victory
