Can Whitecaps carry Canadian hopes in Concacaf Champions Cup?

Two Canadian clubs have already been eliminated from the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.

Canadian Premier League outfits Forge FC and Vancouver FC bowed out of the competition in the first round earlier this month after both teams lost to Mexican opponents. Reigning CPL champions Atlético Ottawa have one foot out the door following a 2-0 home loss to Nashville SC on Tuesday in the first leg of their first-round series. 

That pretty much leaves the Vancouver Whitecaps to carry the hopes of Canadian soccer fans. 

Here’s what you need to know about the Vancouver Whitecaps in this year’s Concacaf Champions Cup.  

What is the Concacaf Champions Cup?

The Champions Cup is an annual tournament that brings together the best clubs from across Concacaf, which is the soccer region covering North and Central America, and the Caribbean.  

Essentially, it’s the North American equivalent of the UEFA Champions League. In fact, the competition was formerly known as the Concacaf Champions League from 2008-23 before reverting to its original name of the Champions Cup, which was first played in 1962.

How does the Champions Cup work?  

This year’s tournament consists of five rounds featuring 27 clubs from all over the Concacaf region.  

Five teams have been granted first-round byes and automatic berths into the round of 16: Inter Miami (2025 MLS Cup champions), Seattle Sounders (2025 Leagues Cup champions), Deportivo Toluca F.C. (Mexico’s Liga MX champions), Costa Rica’s Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (2025 Central American Cup champions) and Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant (2025 Caribbean Cup champions).  

The remaining 22 teams have been paired off, and the 11 winners in each of the two-legged, first-round series (home and away) will move on to the round of 16.   

The first round takes place between Feb. 3-26. The round of 16 is from March 10-19, followed by the quarterfinals (April 7-16), semifinals (April 28-May 7) — all of which are two-legged, home-and-away series. The one-game final will take place on May 30 and will be hosted by the highest seed.

In addition to being crowned the best team in Concacaf, the winner of this year’s tournament also qualifies for the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.  

Vancouver Whitecaps schedule 

Vancouver is facing C.S. Cartaginés of Costa Rica in its two-legged first round series. 

The Whitecaps will travel to Cartago, Costa Rica, for the first leg on Feb. 18 at Estadio Fello Meza and will host Cartaginés in the decisive return match at BC Place on Feb. 25. 

The winner of this series advances to the round of 16, where it will meet the Seattle Sounders.  

Can the Whitecaps take the next step? 

Vancouver is coming off a sensational run in last year’s Concacaf Champions Cup when it became the third Canadian team to reach the final.

The Whitecaps eliminated Saprissa of Costa Rica in the first round, before getting the better of Mexican giants C.F. Monterrey and Pumas UNAM via the away goals rule. Vancouver then put the hammer down in the semifinals with a comprehensive 5-1 aggregate win over Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. 

The final was a humbling affair for Whitecaps, however, as they suffered a 5-0 loss to Mexico’s Cruz Azul at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City. Cruz Azul scored four goals before halftime and then put things on cruise control in the second half.

The sting of that embarrassing defeat still hurts Vancouver, which will be eager to show that its magical run to the final last year wasn’t a fluke and that they truly deserve to be ranked among the elite clubs in Concacaf. 

Vancouver’s core remains in place 

Last season was the best ever in Whitecaps history, marked by the club’s appearances in both the MLS Cup and Concacaf Champions Cup finals. The team also won its fourth consecutive Canadian Championship. 

The good news is that the core of manager Jesper Sørensen’s squad remains in place from 2025. 

Vancouver attracted global attention last August by signing Bayern Munich legend Thomas Müller. The German attacker gave the MLS club an immediate boost, scoring nine goals and tallying four assists in 13 games through all competitions.  

U.S. international Sebastian Berhalter established himself as one of the best midfielders in MLS, seasoned striker Brian White scored a career high 16 goals, while Tristan Blackmon was named the league’s defender of the year. 

The recent losses of Canadian internationals Ali Ahmed (sold to Norwich City) and Jayden Nelson (traded to Austin FC) hurt Vancouver, as does the loss of influential midfielder Ryan Gauld, who recently underwent a procedure on his knee and is expected to miss the start of the MLS season. 

But the Whitecaps have more than enough depth and quality to overcome their absences. 

CS Cartaginés — full name Club Sport Cartaginés Deportiva S.A. — is one of the oldest clubs in Central America, having been founded in 1906. 

Nicknamed “Los Azules” (The Blues), CS Cartaginés has won four Costa Rican league titles, with its last championship coming in 2022. It has also hoisted the Costa Rican Cup on five occasions and the Costa Rican Super Cup in 1979.

Its biggest claim to fame is winning the 1994 Concacaf Champions Cup, which was secured thanks to a 3-2 victory over Mexican club Atlante FC in the final.

CS Cartaginés qualified for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup via the 2025 Central American Cup play-in matches. This is their eighth tournament appearance and first since the 2013-14 season. 

Coached by Guatemala’s Amarini Villatoro, CS Cartaginés is in the middle of its domestic campaign, sitting in second place after seven games.

Meanwhile, the Whitecaps are coming off pre-season training camp in Spain and will kick off their 2026 MLS regular season on Saturday when they host Real Salt Lake. 

One player to keep an eye out for on CS Cartaginés’ roster is Johan Venegas, a veteran Costa Rican forward who has made over 80 appearances for his national team. Venegas, 37, has played for some of Costa Rica’s biggest clubs, including Alajuelense and Saprissa. He also has MLS experience due to his stints with CF Montreal and Minnesota United FC. 

Other players to watch are midfielders Bernald Alfaro and Cristopher Núñez, and goalkeeper Kevin Briceño. 

Vancouver vs. Central American opponents 

This year’s first-round encounter marks the first-ever meeting between Vancouver and CS Cartaginés in the Champions Cup. It is also the first time CS Cartaginés will play a Canadian opponent in the tournament.  

The Whitecaps emerged victorious in their previous two-legged series against Central American clubs in the Champions Cup. In 2023, Vancouver eliminated Real España of Honduras (7-3 on aggregate) in the round of 16. Last year, the Whitecaps bested Costa Rican club Deportivo Saprissa (3-2 on aggregate) in the first round.  

Overall, Vancouver sports a record of three wins and three losses against Central American opponents, with 11 goals scored and six conceded, dating back to its tournament debut in 2015.