2025 CPL–U Sports Draft
| 2025 CPL–U Sports Draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Sport | Soccer |
| Date | December 5, 2024 |
| Time | 5:00 PM ET |
| Networks | 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
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
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
| * | 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
| Pick # | CPL team | Player | Position | Nationality | University | Last team/academy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valour FC | Jevontae Layne^ | FW | .svg.png){kind=small} Canada | Toronto Metropolitan University | Simcoe County Rovers (L1O) |
| 2 | Vancouver FC | Henri Godbout^ | FW |  USA[a] | 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
| Pick # | CPL team | Player | Position | Nationality | University | Last team/academy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Valour FC | Ibrahim Chami | DF |  Lebanon[a] | 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
Draftees by nationality
| Rank | Country | Selections |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 13 |
| 2 | England | 1 |
| Lebanon | ||
| United States |
References
- ↑ "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.
