Canadian Premier League Awards Explained

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.

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.

Awards

Golden Boot

See main article: Canadian Premier League 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.

SeasonWinnerGoalsGamesRate
2019 Tristan Borges (Forge FC)1327
2020 Akeem Garcia (HFX Wanderers FC)611
2021 João Morelli (HFX Wanderers FC)align=center rowspan="1"1421
2022 Alejandro Díaz (Pacific FC)align=center rowspan="1"1318
align=center rowspan="2"2023 Ollie Bassett (Atlético Ottawa)align=center 1127
Myer Bevan (Cavalry FC)align=center 1126

Golden Glove

The Golden Glove is the award for the goalkeeper of the year.

SeasonWinnerFinalists
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)

Coach of the Year

In 2022, this award was voted on by head coaches and one assistant coach from each club.

SeasonWinnerFinalists
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)

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.

SeasonWinnerFinalists
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)

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.[4] All under-21 Canadian players are eligible for this award.

SeasonWinnerFinalists
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)

Defender of the Year

SeasonWinnerFinalists
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)

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.[5] The top-10 players receiving votes are named as finalists prior to the awards ceremony.[6]

SeasonWinnerRunner-upThird 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)

Ceremonies

Beginning in 2022, the CPL Awards have been held in the city hosting the CPL Finals.

Season Date Location Ref
2019November 26, 2019Toronto, Ontario[7]
2020November 26, 2020Held virtually[8]
2021December 14, 2021Toronto, Ontario[9]
2022October 28, 2022Ottawa, Ontario[10]
align=center rowspan="2"2023October 26, 2023Hamilton, Ontario[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Thompson . Marty . Canadian Premier League officially unveils 2019 individual awards . Canadian Premier League . November 1, 2019 . November 1, 2019.
  2. Web site: 2019 Canadian Premier League Awards Fact Sheet . Canadian Premier League . November 27, 2019 . January 22, 2020.,
  3. Web site: CPL announces new awards, 2022 voting procedures . Canadian Premier League . October 9, 2022 . September 28, 2022 . The Golden Boot award is awarded to the player who scores the most goals during the CPL regular season.
  4. Web site: Jacques . John . Canadian Premier League Increasing Youth Minute Requirement . Northern Tribune . November 6, 2023 . April 4, 2022.
  5. Web site: Cavalry FC's Ali Musse voted 2023 CPL Players' Player of the Year . Canadian Premier League . November 5, 2023 . October 26, 2023.
  6. Web site: Ten Canadian Premier League standouts shortlisted for Players' Player of the Year . Canadian Premier League . November 5, 2023 . October 23, 2023.
  7. Web site: Canadian Premier League announces 2019 Award winners . Canadian Premier League . November 17, 2023 . November 26, 2019.
  8. Web site: Canadian Premier League announces 2020 Award winners . Canadian Premier League . November 17, 2023 . November 26, 2020.
  9. Web site: Canadian Premier League announces 2021 Award winners . Canadian Premier League . December 14, 2021.
  10. Web site: Jacques . John . 2022 CPL Awards Roundup . Northern Tribune . November 17, 2023 . October 29, 2022.
  11. Web site: Jacques . John . 2023 CPL Awards Round Up: Cavalry Dominates The Show . Northern Tribune . November 17, 2023 . October 27, 2023.