Cavalry FC is making a home away from home on Vancouver Island for the second straight winter.
The Canadian Premier League club announced its home fixture in the opening round of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup against Mexico City’s Pumas UNAM will be held at Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C. on Feb. 6, 2025.
Ian Allison, Cavalry FC president and C.O.O., said at a press conference this week that the club looked at options closer to home, citing McMahon Stadium and Commonwealth Stadium, but they ultimately weren’t possibilities.
Cavalry FC’s home grounds, ATCO Field at Spruce Meadows, is not an option due to the impacts of winter in southern Alberta on the pitch.
“Going forward, should the technology and the calendar avail itself, we would look to improve the possibilities of being able to host in February here,” Allison said. “Would we like to be playing here? Of course, we would, but right now circumstances don’t allow for that.”
Tickets to the Feb. 6 match at Starlight Stadium, the home of the CPL’s Pacific FC just outside of Victoria, are available for purchase through Cavalry’s website.
The second fixture is Feb. 13 in Mexico City’s Estadio Olimpico Universitario, a ground with a capacity of over 70,000. Pumas is a six-time qualifier for the Champions Cup and have won the tournament on three occasions.
“When you draw an historic club like Pumas and you realize the history that they bring, they date back to 1954, they play in one of the most famous stadiums in the world and they have a pedigree in this sport that’s one we’ve always tried to aspire to,” added Allison.
“One of the ethoses of our club since we started is adapt and overcome and that is certainly something we’re not naïve to as we go and face this historic club, but we’re up for the battle and we like to punch above our weight division.”
The winner on aggregate over two legs moves through to the round of 16 against Costa Rica’s Liga Deportivo Alajuelense.
Other teams on the Cavalry side of the bracket include Vancouver Whitecaps FC, CPL rival Forge FC and Mexico’s Club Monterrey.
Cavalry FC made its debut in the Concacaf Champions Cup in February against the MLS’ Orlando SC. The Floridians took the two legs by 3-0 and 3-1 scores, respectively, the first of which was held in Langford.
The Concacaf Champions Cup, which was founded in 1962 and has seen an evolved format and field of competitors, features the top club teams from North America, Central America and Caribbean leagues. The winning team from the competition advances to the FIFA Club World Cup.
On Thursday, Cavalry FC learned its draw for the 2025 Canadian Championship. The Cavs will host Edmonton Scottish United SC, a League1 Alberta club, in the opening round of the national competition.
The match will be held in April or May at Spruce Meadows’ ATCO Field.
For more information, go to cavarlryfc.canpl.ca.
