Every club has defining moments. For FC Supra du Québec, qualifying for the playoffs in its inaugural Canadian Premier League (CPL) season was one of them.
But that moment wasn't created in 90 minutes. It culminated over 55 years of soccer history in Quebec—a legacy built by pioneering clubs, visionary leaders, and passionate supporters who believed the province deserved a place in Canada's top domestic league. Here's how we got there.
1971–1992 | Professional Soccer Captures Quebec
1971 | Montreal enters the professional game
Montreal Olympique joined the North American Soccer League (NASL), then North America’s premier professional league. Though the club lasted just three seasons, it is widely regarded as having introduced a new era of professional soccer in Quebec, laying the groundwork for the province’s future in the game.
1981 | The Manic Captivate Quebec
If Montreal Olympique introduced professional soccer to the province, the Montreal Manic turned it into a phenomenon. During the NASL’s peak years, the Manic drew supporters from across Quebec. On Sept. 2, 1981, 58,542 fans packed Olympic Stadium for a playoff match against the Chicago Sting, one of the largest crowds ever recorded for a Canadian club soccer match.
1988 | The Supra Name Is Born
Montreal Supra joined the Canadian Soccer League, adding to Quebec’s professional soccer legacy. Though the club folded in 1992, the Supra name endured in the province’s soccer culture. More than three decades later, it would return.
1993–2018 | Quebec Emerges as a Force in Canadian Soccer
December 1992 | The Montreal Impact usher in a new era
League titles, Voyageurs Cup triumphs, the opening of Stade Saputo in 2008, CONCACAF Champions League nights before crowds of more than 55,000, and the club’s move to Major League Soccer in 2012 proved Quebec could sustain elite professional soccer.
Just as importantly, the Impact, later CF Montréal, helped shape the province’s path to the CPL. Club President Rocco Placentino, Executive Advisor Nick De Santis, and other future FC Supra contributors built relationships and gained valuable experience within the organization.
Late 2010s | An Established Soccer Culture
By the end of the decade, Quebec had established itself as one of Canada’s premier soccer hotbeds. Its multicultural communities brought together diverse traditions and playing styles, fostering a distinctive soccer culture that helped develop talents like Ismaël Koné and Moïse Bombito, who would go on to excel with the Canadian Men’s National Team.
2019 | Canada Debuts Its New Domestic League
April 2019 | The Canadian Premier League begins
The CPL kicked off its inaugural season, creating a national professional men's league dedicated to developing Canadian clubs, players, and coaches. Quebec was left without representation, strengthening calls for a team within the province.
2023 | CS Saint-Laurent reminds Canada once more
CS Saint-Laurent’s remarkable TELUS Canadian Championship run reignited calls for a Quebec-based CPL club. Featuring several future FC Supra players and staff, the team upset HFX Wanderers FC before hosting MLS side Toronto FC at Claude-Robillard, drawing more than 7,000 fans.
May 31, 2025 | Quebec City sends a message
Thousands braved the rain at Stade TELUS–Université Laval for the first CPL regular-season match in Quebec City, where York United FC defeated HFX Wanderers FC 2–0.
Late 2025–2026 | The FC Supra du Québec Era Begins
October 2025 | The wait is over
FC Supra du Québec was unveiled as the CPL's first Quebec-based club. After seven seasons without representation, Quebec finally had a place in Canada's top domestic league.
April 11, 2026 | History begins again
FC Supra played its inaugural CPL match against Pacific FC in Langford, British Columbia. Loïc Kwemi scored the club's first goal before Sean Rea and Alexandre Marcoux added two more, securing a 3–2 victory and the club's first win.
October 25, 2026 | History continues
FC Supra secured a dramatic 4–3 win at Halifax's Wanderers Grounds, with Ibrahim Condé scoring twice and Diyaeddine Abzi and Sean Rea adding goals. The victory clinched a playoff berth, making Supra the first expansion team in CPL history to reach the postseason. Kwemi also capped a remarkable season by claiming the CPL Golden Boot with 15 goals.
Now, the story continues. FC Supra faces Cavalry FC in the first leg of its two-legged semifinal on November 1 at 4 p.m. at Stade Boréale, with another chapter of history within reach.