CF Montréal lose Canadian Championship final to Forge FC on penalties at Stade Saputo

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

CF Montréal lost the 2026 Canadian Championship final to Forge FC, with the Canadian Championship decided 4-2 on penalty kicks after the teams played to a 1-1 deadlock through extra time at Stade Saputo on Wednesday night. The result gave Forge the title and capped a run that had eliminated Montréal from the competition for a third consecutive year.

It was CF Montréal’s ninth appearance in a Canadian Championship final and its first since winning the Voyageurs Cup in 2021. In addition to claiming CanChamp, Forge became the first Canadian Premier League club to win the Canadian Championship and clinched a berth in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.

Montréal had an early opportunity to take the lead when Prince Owusu, the club’s leading scorer, stepped up to take a penalty kick. Forge goalkeeper Dimitry Bertaud denied the attempt, diving to his left to save the shot, keeping the score level during a period when the hosts threatened to break the tie.

Instead, Forge took control before halftime when Antoine Batisse converted a corner by heading past CF Montréal goalkeeper Sébastian Breza. Batisse’s finish arrived at near-post at a critical moment in first-half stoppage time, giving Forge a 1-0 advantage at the break.

Four minutes into the second half, CF Montréal responded through Daniel Ríos. Ríos leveled the match by heading in from the edge of the six-yard box, restoring parity and turning the contest back toward a late decision.

The match then swung in disciplinary terms when CF Montréal was reduced to 10 players in the 54th minute. Brayan Vera was sent off for his second bookable offense, forcing the hosts to manage the remainder of regulation and extra time with a man down.

Despite that setback, the game remained level through the end of extra time, sending it to a penalty shootout. Bertaud continued to influence the outcome in the spot-kick phase, making two additional saves for Forge before Manjrekar James converted in the fifth round to clinch the CPL side’s historic victory.

The Canadian Championship result carries immediate implications for both clubs beyond the title itself. Forge’s win earned it a place in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, while CF Montréal’s late push fell short despite matching the score on Ríos’s second-half goal and holding Forge to a draw through 120 minutes.