Canadian Premier League Awards
The Canadian Premier League Awards is a ceremony held annually at the end of each Canadian Premier League season. There are a total of seven individual awards given to players or coaches based on their performance in the regular season. For the majority of the awards, nominees are selected by the league and voted on by members of the media. The winner of each award receives an Inuit soapstone sculpture designed by artists from Cape Dorset, Nunavut.[1]
The CPL Awards were first held in 2019 and included five honours (Golden Boot, Golden Glove, Coach of the Year, U21 Canadian Player of the Year, and Player of the Year).[2] The awards initially took into account performance across the whole CPL season, including playoffs and finals.[1]
In 2022, two new awards were added (Defender of the Year and Players' Player of the Year) and all awards became based solely on performance in the regular season.[3] The timing of the ceremony was also shifted to be held a few days before the CPL final and in the city that is hosting the final. In 2024, a Finals MVP trophy was added.[4]
Awards
Golden Boot
The Golden Boot is awarded to the player who scores the most goals in the regular season. In the even of a tie, the award is shared between all players level on goals.
| Season | Winner | Goals | Games | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Tristan Borges (Forge FC) | 13[a] | 27 | 0.48 |
| 2020 | Akeem Garcia (HFX Wanderers FC) | 6 | 11 | 0.55 |
| 2021 | João Morelli (HFX Wanderers FC) | 14 | 21 | 0.67 |
| 2022 | Alejandro Díaz (Pacific FC) | 13 | 18 | 0.72 |
| 2023 | Ollie Bassett (Atlético Ottawa) | 11 | 27 | 0.41 |
| Myer Bevan (Cavalry FC) | 11 | 26 | 0.42 | |
| 2024 | Tobias Warschewski (Cavalry FC) | 12 | 24 | 0.50 |
- ^ Includes 1 goal scored in the CPL Finals
Golden Glove
The Golden Glove is the award for the goalkeeper of the year.
| Season | Winner | Finalists |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Marco Carducci (Cavalry FC) | Nathan Ingham (York9 FC) Connor James (FC Edmonton) |
| 2020 | Triston Henry (Forge FC) | Christian Oxner (HFX Wanderers FC) Callum Irving (Pacific FC) |
| 2021 | Jonathan Sirois (Valour FC) | Marco Carducci (Cavalry FC) Triston Henry (Forge FC) |
| 2022 | Marco Carducci (Cavalry FC) | Nathan Ingham (Atlético Ottawa) Callum Irving (Pacific FC) |
| 2023 | Triston Henry (Forge FC) | Marco Carducci (Cavalry FC) Rayane Yesli (Valour FC) |
| 2024 | Emil Gazdov (Pacific FC) | Callum Irving (Vancouver FC) Thomas Vincensini (York United) |
Coach of the Year
In 2022, this award was voted on by head coaches and one assistant coach from each club.[3]
| Season | Winner | Finalists |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Tommy Wheeldon Jr. (Cavalry FC) | Jim Brennan (York9 FC) Bobby Smyrniotis (Forge FC) |
| 2020 | Stephen Hart (HFX Wanderers FC) | Bobby Smyrniotis (Forge FC) Mista (Atlético Ottawa) |
| 2021 | Pa-Modou Kah (Pacific FC) | Bobby Smyrniotis (Forge FC) Tommy Wheeldon Jr. (Cavalry FC) |
| 2022 | Carlos González (Atlético Ottawa) | Bobby Smyrniotis (Forge FC) James Merriman (Pacific FC) |
| 2023 | Tommy Wheeldon Jr. (Cavalry FC) | Bobby Smyrniotis (Forge FC) Patrice Gheisar (HFX Wanderers FC) |
| 2024 | Bobby Smyrniotis (Forge FC) | Benjamín Mora (York United) Tommy Wheeldon Jr. (Cavalry FC) |
Player of the Year
This is awarded to the league's most valuable player, as voted by the media. Since 2022, the CPL has announced five nominees rather than three.
| Season | Winner | Finalists |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Tristan Borges (Forge FC) | Kyle Bekker (Forge FC) Dominique Malonga (Cavalry FC) |
| 2020 | Kyle Bekker (Forge FC) | Marco Bustos (Pacific FC) Akeem Garcia (HFX Wanderers FC) |
| 2021 | João Morelli (HFX Wanderers FC) | Kyle Bekker (Forge FC) Terran Campbell (Pacific FC) |
| 2022 | Ollie Bassett (Atlético Ottawa) | Alexander Achinioti-Jonsson (Forge FC) Manny Aparicio (Pacific FC) Sean Rea (Valour FC) Ballou Tabla (Atlético Ottawa) |
| 2023 | Daan Klomp (Cavalry FC) | Manny Aparicio (Pacific FC) Kyle Bekker (Forge FC) Lorenzo Callegari (HFX Wanderers FC) Ali Musse (Cavalry FC) |
| 2024 | Tristan Borges (Forge FC) | Kyle Bekker (Forge FC) Alessandro Hojabrpour (Forge FC) Tobias Warschewski (Cavalry FC) Brian Wright (York United) |
Best Under 21 Canadian Player of the Year
The CPL requires clubs to roster a minimum of three Canadian players under the age of 21 and to play them for a minimum of 2,000 minutes in a season.[5] All under-21 Canadian players are eligible for this award.
| Season | Winner | Finalists |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Tristan Borges (Forge FC) | Diyaeddine Abzi (York9 FC) Terran Campbell (Pacific FC) |
| 2020 | Mohamed Farsi (Cavalry FC) | Chrisnovic N'sa (HFX Wanderers FC) Julian Dunn (Valour FC) |
| 2021 | Alessandro Hojabrpour (Pacific FC) | Max Ferrari (York United FC) Victor Loturi (Cavalry FC) |
| 2022 | Sean Rea (Valour FC) | Osaze De Rosario (York United FC) Woobens Pacius (Forge FC) |
| 2023 | Matteo De Brienne (Valour FC) | James Cameron (Vancouver FC) Kwasi Poku (Forge FC) |
| 2024 | Kwasi Poku (Forge FC) | Noah Abatneh (York United) Emil Gazdov (Pacific FC) |
Defender of the Year
| Season | Winner | Finalists |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson (Forge FC) | Amer Đidić (Pacific FC) Dominick Zator (York United) |
| 2023 | Daan Klomp (Cavalry FC) | Manjrekar James (Forge FC) Daniel Nimick (HFX Wanderers FC) |
| 2024 | Daan Klomp (Cavalry FC) | Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson (Forge FC) Themi Antonoglou (Valour FC) |
Player's Player of the Year
Introduced in 2022, this is the only award is voted on by the players. All players that played in a game are eligible to vote and be voted for. Players cast three votes in a 5–3–1 scoring system and cannot vote for a teammate.[6] The top-10 players receiving votes are named as finalists prior to the awards ceremony.[7]
| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Ollie Bassett (Atlético Ottawa) | Ballou Tabla (Atlético Ottawa) | Alejandro Díaz (Pacific FC) |
| 2023 | Ali Musse (Cavalry FC) | Kyle Bekker (Forge FC) | Daan Klomp (Cavalry FC) |
| 2024 | Brian Wright (York United) | Tristan Borges (Forge FC) | Béni Badibanga (Forge FC) |
CPL Final MVP
| Final | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Tobias Warschewski (Cavalry FC) |
Ceremonies
Beginning in 2022, the CPL Awards have been held in the city hosting the CPL Finals.
| Season | Date | Location | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | November 26, 2019 | Toronto, Ontario | [8] |
| 2020 | November 26, 2020 | Held virtually | [9] |
| 2021 | December 14, 2021 | Toronto, Ontario | [10] |
| 2022 | October 28, 2022 | Ottawa, Ontario | [11] |
| 2023 | October 26, 2023 | Hamilton, Ontario | [12] |
| 2024 | November 7, 2024 | Calgary, Alberta | [4] |
References
- ^ a b Thompson, Marty (November 1, 2019). "Canadian Premier League officially unveils 2019 individual awards". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
- ^ "2019 Canadian Premier League Awards Fact Sheet". Canadian Premier League. November 27, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2020.,
- ^ a b "CPL announces new awards, 2022 voting procedures". Canadian Premier League. September 28, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
The Golden Boot award is awarded to the player who scores the most goals during the CPL regular season
- ^ a b Jacques, John (November 8, 2024). "2024 CPL Awards Round Up: Parity In Powerhouses". Northern Tribune. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
- ^ Jacques, John (April 4, 2022). "Canadian Premier League Increasing Youth Minute Requirement". Northern Tribune. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
- ^ "Cavalry FC's Ali Musse voted 2023 CPL Players' Player of the Year". Canadian Premier League. October 26, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ "Ten Canadian Premier League standouts shortlisted for Players' Player of the Year". Canadian Premier League. October 23, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ "Canadian Premier League announces 2019 Award winners". Canadian Premier League. November 26, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ "Canadian Premier League announces 2020 Award winners". Canadian Premier League. November 26, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ "Canadian Premier League announces 2021 Award winners". Canadian Premier League. December 14, 2021.
- ^ Jacques, John (October 29, 2022). "2022 CPL Awards Roundup". Northern Tribune. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Jacques, John (October 27, 2023). "2023 CPL Awards Round Up: Cavalry Dominates The Show". Northern Tribune. Retrieved November 17, 2023.