Atlético Ottawa today clinched its spot in the 2026 Canadian Premier League (CPL) Playoffs following a thrilling comeback win at TD Place against league leaders Cavalry FC.
Atlético scored three second-half goals - two by midfielder Kamron Habibulah and one by midfielder Gabi Antinoro- to defeat leaders Cavalry (3-2), as the Ottawa side became the third team to confirm its place in the post-season.
“One of our goals coming into this game was to qualify for the playoffs, and we achieved that tonight,” said Gustavo Leal, Head Coach, Atlético Ottawa. “These are the types of games we will face in the playoffs, and our players showed the spirit and fight we will need. They won a lot of duels, never gave up and stayed focused until the final whistle. I’m very proud of the players.
“We wanted to hold third place, and now we have the opportunity to focus on our final goal: winning the championship. We have six games left to decide our season, so we need to continue playing with the same focus, intensity and belief we showed tonight. This was an important victory, and qualifying for the playoffs is a big step, but now we have to show that we are ready to compete for the championship.”
Three matches remain in the campaign as Atleti look to defend its North Star Cup triumph from November 2025. The final Regular Season match at TD Place will take place on Sunday, October 17 (KO 1pm ET, live on TSN and OneSoccer) as second-placed Forge FC visit the Nation’s Capital.
Should the table remain the same, Atlético will face Forge of Hamilton in a two-legged semi-final with the winner progressing to the final match of the season. The semi-finals will take place on the weekends of October 31/November 1 and November 7 and 8, with the lower-seeded side hosting first.
This is the fourth time Atlético has qualified for the CPL Playoffs, with the first two appearances in the postseason coming under former Head Coach Carlos González. In 2025, after a record-breaking Regular Season with Head Coach Diego Mejía, Atleti made history by earning the right to host a second CPL Final - winning it for the first time - in a match that went viral worldwide thanks to the blizzard-like conditions and David Rodríguez’s now-infamous ‘Icicle Kick’.
