By Alex ConnorIn September 2025, it was announced that Québec would welcome its first-ever CPL club ahead of the 2026 season. Supra was born, and they’ll make their much-awaited debut on Saturday 11th April, when they play Pacific FC in British Columbia. Supra have ripped up the script in North America and adopted LaLiga side Athletic Club’s ‘Cantera’ policy, a non-negotiable practice where only players born or trained in the Basque Country can be selected. Supra will apply this in Québec, harnessing the region’s distinct cultural identity and footballing potential.Québec is Canada’s second-most populous and only Francophone-majority province. The region welcomes international immigration, which feeds into its multicultural society. However, Québec promotes an “interculturalism” model that still advocates diversity to create an ever-evolving society but champions its French-speaking tradition and other historical customs to retain its regional identity. Québécois people have unquestionable pride in their cultural heritage and held independence referendums in 1980 and 1995, but neither proposal passed.CF Montréal have competed in the MLS for over a decade, meaning Québec haven’t been represented in the CPL since the division’s first season in 2019. Supra will fill this glaring gap in the Canadian soccer market, providing a more feasible route for homegrown players into the professional game. This focus will provide a crucial platform for specifically Québécois talent, where it can be nurtured and developed. Québec native Nathan Saliba is set to play a huge role for Canada at the World Cup, while another local star, highly-rated defender Moïse Bombito, is still recovering from an injury but should be fit for the tournament.The club’s branding is inspired by the Montreal Supra, who competed in the Canadian Soccer League from 1988 until 1992. The new Supra keeps the same colour scheme. The red links to Canadian pride, the blue is a tribute to Québec’s Francophone heritage, and the white signifies unity and an exciting future.Matt Rizzetta, Supra chairman, said they felt like “reviving a brand with such tradition and history”, which “conjures up so much pride for the past generation that really paved the way for soccer in Québec.”Montréal Supra played an important role in platforming an abundance of Canadian talent. Alex Bunbury, Lyndon Hooper, and Mark Watson, who all enjoyed spells with Montréal Supra in the early stages of their careers, combined to make over 200 appearances for the Canadian national team. Mauro Biello also featured for the now extinct club. The Québec-born forward started his career at Montreal Supra, then had two separate stints with Montreal Impact from 1993 to 1998 and 2000 to 2009. Biello heads into the World Cup as Canada’s assistant manager and one of the most influential figures in Canadian soccer. Supra’s formation reveals a closer family connection for Mauro, whose son, Alessandro, has signed with the club and will play this season. Alessandro rose through the ranks at CF Montréal and made his first-team debut in May 2024. However, his contract wasn’t renewed, but Supra have stepped in to give the 20-year-old a fresh start. “It makes it mean a little more,” Alessandro told the Montreal Gazette. “I’m a young player looking to kickstart my career, and my dad was kind of in the same situation as a young player joining Supra. So there’s that connection as well. I think it’s an amazing opportunity, and it just means a little bit more with my dad having played for Supra as well.”Supra’s opening fixturesThe new set-up aims to revive and elevate the old club’s legacy, with considerably greater longevity. Over 30 years later, the Biello name remains an enduring tradition, further emphasising Supra’s Québécois philosophy. This DNA runs through every level of the club. Supra’s president and co-founder, Rocco Placentino, who hails from Québec, watched Montreal Supra as a child before embarking on a commendable playing career, featuring for Montréal Impact and earning one cap for the Canadian national team. After retirement, he spent 13 years as the technical director of CS Saint-Laurent, a semi-professional soccer team in Québec. Supra’s head coach also developed an acclaimed reputation at CS Saint-Laurent as the club’s manager. Nick Razzaghi led the semi-professional outfit to a historic double in 2023, picking up the Ligue 1 Quebéc title and the Coupe L1QC. Supra will play its first two home fixtures, against Atletico Ottawa and Halifax Wanderers, at the CEPSUM Stadium on the Université de Montreal campus, before moving to the Stade Boreale in Laval, which is also home to women’s Northern Super League outfit Montréal Roses, to face Cavalry FC on 3rd May. Across different divisions, three professional soccer teams will now represent Québec. It’s a cultural milestone for the region’s footballing landscape, providing the local community with a relatable and progressive foundation. Razzaghi said the project “means everything” and is a “truly unbelievable opportunity” to show what Quebec has to offer. “Our goal is to put Quebec on the map,” he continued.It’s a new dawn for the CPL, which is also trialling Arsene Wenger’s “daylight” offside rule, an idea that requires a clear gap between the attacker and the last defender. Supra’s first match against 2021 CPL winners Pacific FC presents a massive challenge. Still, everyone at the club is brimming with excitement at the prospect of demonstrating what this defiant, distinct and proud province is capable of.(Images courtesy of the Canadian Premier League)You can follow every game from the CPL with FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.