They are the Canadian Premier League champions, and the nation’s pro soccer scene may be gaining more of a following as a result.
The Cavalry Football Club (FC) claimed the CPL title on Nov. 9th with a 2-1 victory over Hamilton’s Forge FC at ATCO Field at Spruce Meadows.
A record crowd of over 7,000 fans witnessed the Cavalry make franchise history, while another 609,000 viewers tuned in to watch the team hoist the North Star Cup on CBC Sports. The championship broadcast was also available on OneSoccer, which does not release viewership numbers.
According to Northern Tribune reporter John Jacques, the viewership figures for the final represent growth over the CPL’s inaugural season in 2019. The audience reach also surpassed the 454,000 viewers that a regular Canadian Football League (CFL) game generated on TSN this year.
The Cavalry jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first half on goals from Tobias Warschewski and Sergio Camargo, before the Forge responded with a goal in the 52nd minute. The Calgary side was able to maintain their 2-1 lead the rest of the way and preserve the championship victory.
Warschewski – who was the Golden Boot winner as the league’s top scorer in the regular season – was named the 2024 CPL Final MVP after the match.
The win represented redemption for the Cavalry, who lost the championship to the Forge in 2019 and 2023.
“I don’t think I have the words,” said Cavalry head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. during a post-game press conference.
“It’s surreal to do it in front of our fans … we’ve got to savour these moments. Winning is hard.”
Added Wheeldon Jr.: “The first-half performance was high level. It was outstanding. It was entertaining. It was cutthroat. It was fun to watch.”
Sportsnet reporter James Sharman, who has covered soccer in Canada for decades, was impressed by what he witnessed in Calgary during the CPL final.
“As someone experiencing Spruce Meadows for the first time over the weekend, their fans wowed me with their passion, support and footballing sophistication. If the CPL was able to magically clone ATCO Field and its surroundings and stick it in every CPL market, they’d really be onto something,” observed Sharman.
Cavalry midfielder Shamit Shome said the title will help grow the sport in Alberta’s largest city.
“Calgary is a soccer city now,” Shome told CBC News.
“When you look at the final and the atmosphere and the amount of people that were there, and just how loud and how exciting it was, it just goes to show how far [Calgary] has come.”
He added: “I think [there’s] just going to be more games, more sports for people to go out to and watch. And I think the city of Calgary is starting to really appreciate the sport of soccer more so than maybe other cities, other clubs in the league.”
The Cavalry also received good news ahead of the championship when Daan Klomp won Defender of the Year honours at the CPL Awards. It marked the second consecutive year he won the award.
The Forge and Cavalry will look ahead now. Both squads have qualified for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup. This is the second time the Cavalry have qualified for the prestigious tournament, which features the top soccer teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The Cavalry’s opponent will be revealed during the Concacaf Champions Cup draw on Dec. 10th.
Related Link: https://cavalryfc.canpl.ca/article/cavalry-fc-crowned-2024-canadian-premier-league-champions.