The Canadian Premier League (CPL) announced on Friday the three nominees for the 2026 Coach of the Year award, presented by STACKTV, recognizing the coaches whose leadership and contributions best shaped their clubs’ performances throughout the 2026 CPL Regular Season.
Atlético Ottawa’s Gustavo Leal, Forge FC’s Bobby Smyrniotis and Cavalry FC’s Tommy Wheeldon Jr. are nominated for the award in 2026. The winner will be decided through voting by technical leadership from all eight CPL clubs as well as by select media members, representing local and national outlets, who consistently covered the 2026 CPL Regular Season. The winner will be revealed at the 2026 CPL Awards ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 19.
Voting for the CPL’s Coach of the Year award is based on performances during the 2026 Regular Season, not including the TELUS Canadian Championship, Concacaf Champions Cup or the 2026 CPL Playoffs.
Leal made an immediate impact after taking over as Atlético Ottawa’s head coach midway through the 2026 season, guiding the club to a third-place finish in the CPL standings. In 16 matches at the helm, Leal recorded an 8-2-6 record, earning 26 of Ottawa’s 43 points and improving the club’s points-per-game average from 1.42 before his arrival to 1.63. Under his leadership, Atlético Ottawa demonstrated marked defensive improvement, reducing its goals conceded per game from 1.83 to 1.44 and recording a positive goal differential of +1 over his 16 matches in charge. Leal’s efforts helped Ottawa secure third place, finishing five points clear of fourth, and earned him his first nomination for the Coach of the Year award.
Smyrniotis earned his eighth career nomination for Coach of the Year following another strong regular season at the helm of Forge, which finished second in the CPL standings with 58 points. Forge boasted the league’s best defensive record, conceding just 22 goals across 28 matches, an average of 0.79 per game, while posting a goal differential of +27, the second-highest in the league. His side also faced the fewest shots of any CPL club (245) and recorded a league-best shot differential of +173, highlighting Forge’s ability to control matches on both sides of the ball. Forge finished the campaign with just four losses, tied for the fewest in the league, and seven away victories, tied for the most. Smyrniotis previously won the Coach of the Year award in 2024 and 2025.
Wheeldon Jr. guided Cavalry FC to the top of the CPL standings in 2026, securing the club’s third Regular Season title with a league-best 60 points and an 18-6-4 record. Under his stewardship, Cavalry led the league in wins (18), goals scored (58) and assists (39), while posting a league-best goal differential of +35. The Calgary-based side also recorded a league-high 11 home victories and tied for the most away wins (7), demonstrating its consistency throughout the campaign. Wheeldon Jr.’s 64.3 per cent win rate was the highest among coaches who led their teams through all 28 regular season matches. This is his fifth career nomination for the Coach of the Year award. He previously won the award in 2019 and 2023.
The winner of the Coach of the Year award will receive a unique piece of Inuit soapstone art, conceptualized by artist Palaya Qiatsuq and carved by Ruben Komangapik. The Owl statue symbolizes wisdom, guidance and knowledge, while its heightened vision gives it the ability to see what others cannot. The Coach of the Year requires similar attributes to earn the honour.
Previous Winners:
2019: Tommy Wheeldon Jr., Cavalry FC
2020: Stephen Hart, Halifax Wanderers FC
2021: Pa-Modou Kah, Pacific FC
2022: Carlos González, Atlético Ottawa
2023: Tommy Wheeldon Jr., Cavalry FC
2024: Bobby Smyrniotis, Forge FC
2025: Bobby Smyrniotis, Forge FC
