'Caps qualify for 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup
MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC

'Caps qualify for 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup

Published on October 2, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC News Release


VANCOUVER, BC - Four-peat complete.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC won a fourth conseuctive TELUS Canadian Championship, and their fifth all-time Voyageurs Cup, beating Canadian Premier League (CPL) side Vancouver FC in their first ever meeting at BC Place on Wednesday.

With the win, the 'Caps have qualified for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup after making an epic run to their first final earlier this year.

The match got off to a flying start, with the 'Caps opening the scoring in the fifth minute through Ali Ahmed's second goal of the season. The move started with Thomas Müller putting a cross into the box. Ahmed then took the ball down, shifted to his left, and unleashed a low left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

Ahmed caused havoc on the left side, as he drew a penalty five minutes later. Müller stepped up and converted his 300th career goal for club and country, giving the 'Caps a firm grip on the match with a 2-0 lead.

The Blue and White continued to prowl forward, with Emmanuel Sabbi and Sebastian Berhalter both hitting the post within a matter of seconds. Sabbi got on the end of a loose ball inside the box and hammered a shot off the near post, while Berhalter struck a right-footed shot from distance shortly after that cannoned off the post.

In the 26th minute, it was Müller's turn to come close to a third, as he played a cheeky one-two with Sabbi in the box. The Raumdeuter then hit a first-time toe-poke that hit the far post.

The away team would pull a goal back in the 35th minute, as two former 'Caps combined on the break. Nicolás Mezquida fed Thierno 'Elage' Bah in behind the 'Caps backline, and the former Whitecaps FC BMO Academy and Whitecaps FC 2 product swept a rolling outside-the-foot shot past Isaac Boehmer to make it 2-1.

Just two minutes later, the Blue and White restored their two-goal advantage, as Ahmed doubled up and put home a loose ball into the net for his second of the match.

The 'Caps rode the wave into the second half, maintaing possession and keeping the visitors at bay.

Sabbi had a chance to make it four on the night in the 73rd minute after being played in behind by Müller, but the American saw his shot saved by former 'Caps product and goalkeeper Callum Irving.

Shortly after, Ryan Gauld made his return from injury by subbing on in the 79th minute. The Gauldfather was welcomed back to the pitch with a rapturous applause from the BC Place faithful. It was written in the stars, as only four minutes later he would score on his return to make it 4-1.

Vancouver FC showed fight, clawing one goal back, again through the combination of Bah, this time feeding Mezquida for a goal in his return to BC Place.

The 'Caps will look to continue their momentum rolling as they are back at BC Place on Sunday, looking to climb into first place in the Western Conference as they host San Jose Earthquakes. Kickoff will be at 3 p.m. PT. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.

MATCH DETAILS

Referee: Draw Fischer

Attendance: 18,372

George Gross Memorial Trophy (MVP): Ali Ahmed

Best Young Canadian Player: Jayden Nelson

Scoring Summary

5' - VAN - Ali Ahmed (Thomas Müller)

10' - VAN - Thomas Müller (penalty kick)

35' - VFC - Thierno Bah (Nicolás Mezquida)

37' - VAN - Ali Ahmed

83' - VAN - Ryan Gauld (Jayden Nelson)

85' - VFC - Nicolás Mezquida (Thierno Bah)

Cautions

16' - VFC - Kunle Dada-Luke

39' - VFC - Michel Da Silva4

48' - VFC - Thierno Bah

72' - VFC - Pathé Ndiaye

Statistics

Possession: VAN 74% - VFC 26%

Shots: VAN 20 - VFC 5

Shots on Goal: VAN 8 - VFC 3

Saves: VAN 1 - VFC 4

Fouls: VAN 18 - VFC 7

Offsides: VAN 0 - VFC 1

Corners: VAN 4 - VFC 1

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

32.Isaac Boehmer; 18.Édier Ocampo (27.Giuseppe Bovalina 85'), 12.Belal Halbouni, 2.Mathías Laborda, 28.Tate Johnson; 16.Sebastian Berhalter (6.Ralph Priso 86'), 20.Andrés Cubas; 11.Emmanuel Sabbi, 13.Thomas Müller © (25.Ryan Gauld 79'), 22.Ali Ahmed (7.Jayden Nelson 79'); 75.Rayan Elloumi (17.Kenji Cabrera 68')

Substitutes not used

1.Yohei Takaoka, 26.J.C. Ngando, 53.Mark O'Neill, 59.Jeevan Badwal

Vancouver FC

1.Callum Irving; 3.Kunle Dada-Luke (12.Tyler Crawford HT), 5.Matteo Campagna, 15.Aidan O'Connor, 2.Paris Gee; 16.Michel Da Silva (17.Emrick Fotsing 68'), 6.Vasco Fry (13.David Norman Jr 68'); 14.Terran Campbell (25.Pathé Ndiaye 57'), 20.Nicolás Mezquida (4.Allan Enyou 87'), 7.Thierno 'Elage' Bah; 9.Hugo Mbongue

Substitutes not used

31.Jacob Frank, 18.Thomas Powell, 23.Abdoulaye Ouattara, 29.Kevin Podgorni

Check out the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Statistics

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