In a bold move for Canadian football, the new Canadian Premier League (CPL) expansion club, FC Supra du Québec, has unveiled a radical strategy to keep the province's top talent at home. Inspired by the famed model of Spanish giants Athletic Bilbao, the club has committed to building a squad exclusively of players born or raised in Québec.
A New Pathway for Provincial Talent
The club's president and co-founder, Rocco Placentino, made the ambitious vision clear during the announcement of their first signings at the iconic Evangelista Sports shop on Montréal's Boulevard Saint-Laurent. "We needed it, the players needed it, the youth in this province needed it," Placentino stated, emphasising the long-overdue need for a CPL team in Québec. He passionately argued that the province, home to around nine million people, is brimming with untapped football potential.
This belief is well-founded. The Canadian men's and women's national teams are heavily populated by Québec-born stars like Moïse Bombito, Ismaël Koné, and Mathieu Choinière. However, the pathway to professional football has historically been narrow, with CF Montréal of MLS long standing as the only top-flight club in the region. Talents like Bombito had to leave the province to find their break, a gap FC Supra intends to bridge.
First Signings Signal a Homecoming
Among the club's inaugural signings is midfielder Sean Rea, 23, a product of CF Montréal's academy. Rea's career journey—which included loans in the CPL, a trial in Portland, a stint in Spain, and a spell with Halifax Wanderers—highlights the very circuitous route Québec players often face. "Previously, there was only Montréal’s academy and to get there, you had to go to specific schools," Rea explained. "Talent fell through the cracks."
He believes a club like FC Supra provides a crucial platform. Young players signed to MLS clubs at 18 could now secure vital playing minutes on loan in Québec, while others outside the academy system will get a chance to shine. Rea was announced alongside experienced CPL campaigners David Choinière and Loïc Kwemi, blending youth with know-how.
Building a Club Deeply Rooted in Community
FC Supra's mission extends beyond the pitch. The club's philosophy, summarised as "un club d’ici, pour ici" (a club from here, for here), seeks to embed itself into the cultural fabric of Montréal and Québec. This includes honouring the legacy of the original Supra club that played in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The club has already conducted open trials at eight clubs across Québec, with nearly 400 players participating, demonstrating a clear commitment to scouring every corner of the province. Placentino confirmed a strong relationship with CF Montréal for potential loan deals but stressed the roster has ample space for first-time professionals discovered through this grassroots approach.
The timing appears perfect. Soccer is the most participated sport in Québec, with 170,000 people involved in Soccer Québec programmes in 2023—more than double youth hockey participation. With the arrival of FC Supra and the Northern Super League's Montréal Roses, professional football in the city is experiencing unprecedented growth. As pre-season begins in January, the hype is palpable, promising a new era where Québec's football talent can truly thrive at home.
