The CPL–U Sports Draft () is an annual event in which Canadian Premier League clubs select players from U Sports, Canada's governing body for university sports. The draft allows student-athletes to play professional soccer that year without affecting their university eligibility.
Rules and procedure
Players are eligible to be drafted if they have one or more years of U Sports eligibility remaining and have declared for the draft. Players who signed development contracts the previous year can be retained by their CPL clubs as long as they have U Sports eligibility remaining. Previously drafted players who do not sign and remain draft-eligible can re-enter the draft in subsequent years.
The previous season's league standings, including playoffs and final standings, determine the draft order. The draft previously employed a "snake draft" format with the selection order reversing after each round, however this was discontinued after the 2021 draft. Clubs have a window of time in which they must submit their pick, and failure to do so results in a pass. There is a break between each round, as well as one timeout per club.
U Sports contract
Drafted players will get an invitation to the team's preseason camp, with the opportunity to earn a U Sports contract. The U Sports contract allows players to be paid to play in the CPL in the spring and summer, before returning to their university team before August 15 for the U Sports men's soccer season. Players on U Sports contracts do not count toward their team's 23-man roster limit. Players can also sign fully professional CPL standard contracts and forego their remaining university eligibility.
Signed players can remain with their CPL club until the end of the season in early November by extending their U Sports contract. These players would be ineligible to participate in U Sports the same season as their contract but would regain eligibility the following year.
List of drafts Draft Season Date City Ref20182019November 12, 2018321Vancouver, British Columbia Gabriel BitarCarletonCavalry FC20192020November 11, 2019214Montreal, Quebec Cory BentCape BretonHFX Wanderers20212021January 29, 2021216Held virtually Thomas GardnerBritish ColumbiaFC Edmonton20222022January 20, 2022216Held virtually José CunhaCape BretonAtlético Ottawa20232023December 15, 2022216Held virtually Anthony WhiteTorontoVancouver FC20242024December 14, 2023216Held virtually Owen SheppardCape BretonValour FC20252025December 5, 2024216Held virtually Jevontae LayneToronto MetropolitanValour FC20262026November 28, 2025216Held virtually Călin CalaidjogluUniversité de MontréalFC Supra du Québec
References