The Canadian Premier League (CPL) today announced that the 2027 CPL-U SPORTS Draft, presented by Degree, will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 9.
The CPL-U SPORTS Draft is open to any U SPORTS underclassmen with one to four years of U SPORTS eligibility remaining, provided they are in good standing with their school’s athletic program and educational institution and are planning to return to school the following year. The declaration window for the 2027 CPL-U SPORTS Draft is now open and will close on Wednesday, Nov. 25.
Players interested in learning more about the draft can do so here. Players interested in declaring for the draft can do so here. The selection order will be based on a combination of the 2026 CPL regular season standings and playoff results, with the last-placed team selecting first.
The full draft order, broadcast information and start time will be announced following the conclusion of the 2026 CPL season, which wraps up with the 2026 CPL Final on Saturday, Nov. 21.
Once selected, players may be invited to pre-season training with their prospective club, where they can compete for a roster spot for the 2027 CPL season. CPL clubs may add up to three players on CPL-U SPORTS contracts to their developmental roster, which was created by the League to provide opportunities for the next generation of talent in Canada. Players signed to a CPL-U SPORTS contract do not count towards a club’s player compensation budget.
Since its inception, 131 players have been picked to date in the Draft, representing 122 unique student-athletes, with eight players selected on multiple occasions while U SPORTS-eligible. The Draft continues to serve as a critical link between the Canadian university system and Canada’s domestic men’s professional soccer league.
To date, 75 of those players went on to sign contracts with CPL clubs, including such standouts as Canadian Men’s National Team defender Joel Waterman and CF Montréal midfielder Victor Loturi, as well as current CPL stars Maxime Bourgeois, Anthony Aromatario, Luca Accettola and Max Piepgrass.
That includes 29 professional contracts and 57 CPL-U SPORTS contracts, which allow student-athletes the unique opportunity to earn professional experience while maintaining their eligibility to return to university-level competition.