2025 CPL–U Sports Draft
| 2025 CPL–U Sports Draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Sport | Soccer |
| Date(s) | December 5, 2024 |
| Time | 5:00 PM ET |
| Network(s) | CBC Gem and cbcsports.ca OneSoccer YouTube |
| Overview | |
| 16 total selections in 2 rounds | |
| League | Canadian Premier League |
| Teams | 8 |
| First selection | Jevontae Layne, Valour FC |
The 2025 CPL–U Sports Draft was the seventh annual CPL–U Sports Draft. Canadian Premier League (CPL) teams selected 16 eligible U Sports soccer players to be invited to their respective preseason camps with the opportunity to earn development contracts for the 2025 Canadian Premier League season.
Format
[edit]Players could be selected if they had one to four years of U Sports eligibility remaining, were in good academic standing, were planning to return to school the following year, and completed the CPL's draft declaration form. Players who were selected can sign a full professional contract or a U Sports development contract, which allows them to return to university for the following season, without losing their eligibility.[1]
Players interested in being selected were required to declare for the draft by November 21 at 5:00 pm ET.[2] On November 29, the CPL released the full list of 184 players available for selection in the draft.[3]
Each CPL team made two selections in the draft with selections made in the reverse order of the previous season's standings, including playoffs and final standings.[4]
Broadcasting
[edit]On November 28, the CPL confirmed the draft order and announced that the draft would be broadcast on CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca, OneSoccer, and YouTube on December 5, 2024 at 5:00 pm ET.[5]
Player selection
[edit]| * | Denotes player who has signed a professional contract for the 2025 season |
| ^ | Denotes player who has signed a developmental contract for the 2025 season |
The following players were selected:[6][7][8]
Round 1
[edit]| Pick # | CPL team | Player | Position | Nationality | University | Last team/academy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valour FC | Jevontae Layne | FW |  Canada |
Toronto Metropolitan University | Simcoe County Rovers (L1O) |
| 2 | Vancouver FC | Henri Godbout | FW |  USA |
University of British Columbia | Altitude FC (L1BC) |
| 3 | HFX Wanderers FC | Matthew Paiva | DF | Canada |
McMaster University | Scrosoppi FC (L1O) |
| 4 | Pacific FC | Niklas Hallam | FW | Canada |
University of Toronto | |
| 5 | York United FC | Luca Accettola | MF | Canada |
York University | Toronto FC II (MLSNP) |
| 6 | Atlético Ottawa | Jason Hartill | MF | Canada |
Cape Breton University | York United (CPL) |
| 7 | Forge FC | Paul Ekwueme | MF | Canada |
McMaster University | Alliance United (L1O) |
| 8 | Cavalry FC | Harvey Hughes | FW |  England |
Cape Breton University |
Round 2
[edit]| Pick # | CPL team | Player | Position | Nationality | University | Last team/academy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Valour FC | Ibrahim Chami | DF |  Lebanon |
McGill University | AS Blainville (L1Q) |
| 10 | Vancouver FC | Mehdi Essoussi | MF | Canada |
University of Toronto | Alliance United (L1O) |
| 11 | HFX Wanderers FC | Joven Mann | MF | Canada |
University of British Columbia | Burnaby FC (L1BC) |
| 12 | Pacific FC | Fin Tugwell | DF | Canada |
University of Victoria | |
| 13 | York United FC | Matthew Fischer | FW | Canada |
York University | |
| 14 | Atlético Ottawa | Adam N’Goran | DF | Canada |
Carleton University | Ottawa South United (L1Q) |
| 15 | Forge FC | Maxime Filion | FW | Canada |
Université de Montréal | Ottawa South United (L1Q) |
| 16 | Cavalry FC | Owen Antoniuk | FW | Canada |
University of Calgary | Calgary Foothills FC (L1A) |
Selection statistics
[edit]Draftees by nationality
[edit]| Rank | Country | Selections |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada |
14 |
| 2 | England |
1 |
| 2 | United States |
1 |
References
[edit]- ^ "U Sports Draft FAQ". Canadian Premier League. Archived from the original on November 16, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ "CPL Draft Declaration". Canadian Premier League. Archived from the original on November 17, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
- ^ "2025 CPL–U Sports Draft: Full Prospect List". Canadian Premier League. November 29, 2024. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
- ^ "Canadian Premier League Announces 2025 CPL-U Sports Draft Presented By Degree" (Press release). U Sports. October 18, 2024. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ "2025 CPL-U Sports Draft Order Confirmed, To Air Free On OneSoccer YouTube and CBC Sports Digital Platforms" (Press release). Toronto, ON: Canadian Premier League. November 28, 2024. Archived from the original on November 28, 2024. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
- ^ "CPL, U SPORTS unveil 2025 Draft class". Canadian Premier League. December 5, 2024.
- ^ Jacques, John (December 6, 2024). "2025 CPL-U Sports Draft Roundup". Northern Tribune. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- ^ Hewitt, Thomas (December 6, 2024). "CPL-U Sports Draft: Valour takes Jevontae Layne first overall as exciting, young crop emerges". Canadian Soccer Daily. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.