5 future CanMNT 🇨🇦 players to watch during CPL’s Canada Day double-header
As the CanMNT continues their remarkable journey at the 2026 World Cup, the next generation of CanMNT players will take the field this week in the Canadian Premier League.
With a doubleheader of games on Canada Day, it’ll offer a great chance to see some of those young players in action once again, as the CPL continues its return from the World Cup break.
On tap for this holiday Wednesday is an afternoon clash between Forge FC and Vancouver FC at Hamilton Stadium (1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT), before the Halifax Wanderers host Atlético Ottawa in an early-evening clash at Wanderers Grounds (4:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. AT).
Because of that, it’s worth diving into some of the most exciting young Canadian players who could feature across those two games. Perhaps some of these players could even end up cracking the CanMNT fold ahead of the 2030 World Cup, too, following in the footsteps of Joel Waterman, the lone CPL alumnus currently on the 2026 roster.
Certainly, that’s the hope - a big goal for the CPL is to be a place where young Canadians can ply their trade and work their way up to goals such as playing for their national team, a pathway that a few players have already proved is indeed possible.
With that in mind, here’s a look at who to watch.
Noah Abatneh (Atlético Ottawa)
Noah Abatneh has already proved that success in the CPL can be parlayed into CanMNT opportunities, as the 21-year-old defender got the opportunity to be called up into Canada’s ‘Camp Poutine’ squad back in January, playing 20 minutes off the bench in a friendly against Guatemala.
He wasn’t technically capped in that game, as the friendly was not an official “A” match, but given that he got to wear the Canadian badge and share the field with some players who are on the pitch for Canada at this World Cup, he can still say it was an excellent experience for him.
Because of that, it feels like only a matter of time before opportunities like that become a more regular occurrence for Abatneh, who is a silky ball-playing centre back with standout physical attributes. A past Canadian U20 international, he’s already become one of the best defenders in the CPL at his age, which is why he’s already racked up over 60 CPL appearances across his stints with then-York United (now Inter Toronto) and now Atlético Ottawa.
His performances there didn’t go unnoticed, either, as he’s a two-time nominee for the league’s best U21 Canadian player (earning nominations in 2024 and 2025) and was also nominated for defender of the year in 2025, as he was a rock at the back for Ottawa in their North Star Cup-winning campaign.
CPL Defender of the Year Nominee: Noah Abatneh 🚨
— Atlético Ottawa (@atletiOttawa) October 29, 2025
Noah picks up another nomination for 2025 after a stellar first season in the Atleti stripes 🦖
Watch Noah command the backline on November 9th in the CPL Final 🏆
🔗 Tickets: https://t.co/plYI5mXn3S pic.twitter.com/2hvYZFm6Sm
Therefore, one can only project big things ahead for Abatneh, which is why it’ll be worth monitoring his performances with Ottawa going forward.
Sergei Kozlovskiy (Atlético Ottawa)
Such is the abundance of young Canadian talent that Ottawa has in their ranks that they’ve also got another fascinating prospect worth watching playing in their backline, and that’s Sergei Kozlovskiy.
An 18-year-old centre back, he’s already racked up 30 appearances for Ottawa across all competitions, having had a standout debut campaign as a teenager in 2025. That he was trusted to play a significant role in Ottawa’s journey to the North Star Cup proves that.
Yet, that’s why he’s already become a regular Canadian youth international, already earning caps at the U15, U17 and U20 level, where he’s often been a captain and key piece on those teams. Just last year, he scored a massive goal for Canada’s U17s at the U17 World Cup, as they came close to beating Ireland, only falling on penalties (Kozlovskiy’s goal was a late equalizer in the 85th minute).
SERGEI KOZLOVSKIY EVENS THE SCORE FOR CANADA! 🔥 #U17WorldCup pic.twitter.com/oRza8zvtw4
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) November 14, 2025
A physically robust but technically sound defender who is strong with the ball at his feet, Kozlovskiy can play both at centre back and full-back, as he is the sort of defender that modern coaches love.
Because of that, it’s expected that his career will only continue to take off over the next few years, which should hopefully lead him to a CanMNT call - certainly, the way his youth National Team career is progressing, that’s starting to feel like a given.
Tavio Ciccarelli (Halifax Wanderers)
Quietly, Tavio Ciccarelli has started to become a key piece on the Halifax Wanderers this year, as the 19-year-old striker has already made nine appearances for them this year, scoring three goals. For context, he made just four appearances across 2024 and 2025 after joining the club in May of 2024, making this year a bit of a breakout campaign for him.
GOAL ⚓️
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) May 30, 2026
TAVIO CICCARELLI AT THE ABSOLUTE DEATH TO WIN IT FOR @HFXWanderersFC! 🤯
🔴 Watch #CPLSoccer on OneSoccer & TSN5 pic.twitter.com/RsnZkEF9tJ
For a Wanderers team that was looking to find consistency up front, however, Ciccarelli’s breakout has been a key storyline, as he’s brought a unique dynamic to his side’s attack. With his ability to run in behind defenders, he’s proven to be a good fit on a team that has a lot of technical players who can feed him the ball, which is why he’s had such a good scoring rate in limited minutes.
A former Canadian U20 international who scored four goals at that level, he’s shown that if you put him in the right system, he has a nose for the net, which is exactly what you want to see out of a young attacker.
Because of that, he’ll want to keep on scoring and finish the year off strongly, following in the footsteps of other young attackers who have done well in this league such as Sam Salter, Tiago Coimbra and Kwasi Poku, among others.
While the CanMNT has done a great job of developing young attacking talent over the last few years, there is always room for new players to step in at that position - what’s nice about being a forward is that ultimately your numbers will speak for themselves. So if Ciccarelli keeps on racking up the goals, it’ll be hard for him to be denied.
Emrick Fotsing (Vancouver FC)
Vancouver has continued to put a lot of faith into Emrick Fotsing, and understandably so, as the young midfielder has proven to be a steady presence despite being just 18 years of age.
Having already racked up over 30 appearances for Vancouver FC since joining them last year, the midfielder has impressed with his quality on the ball and his tactical flexibility - he’s played higher up the pitch as an attacking midfielder, but also deeper as more of a holding midfielder, too.
GOAL 🦅
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) October 4, 2025
Emrick Fotsing levels things up for @vanfootballclub! ⚽️
🔴 Watch #CanPL on OneSoccer, TSN5 & FuboTV pic.twitter.com/A40gmw1Big
For a young player, that sort of adaptability stands out, but shows why Fotsing was seen as such a coup for Vancouver when he joined. Plus, he’s also done well to show his quality in the final third, too, scoring an impressive four goals last year, which is an excellent return for a player in his position.
His play for Vancouver hasn’t gone unnoticed, either, as he has earned call-ups to Canada’s U18s and U20s across the past two seasons, showing that he’s put himself on the radar of Canada’s program with his performances - and given his age, that’ll only continue to happen if he progresses the way he has so far.
Zayne Bruno (Forge FC)
Funnily enough, Zayne Bruno has already gotten a close look at what the preparation was like for the CanMNT ahead of the 2026 World Cup, as he got a call-up as a training player for their pre-tournament camp in Charlotte last month.
Safe to say that was a big vote of confidence for the 19-year-old, showing that while he’s only made five appearances for Forge, he’s already starting to catch the attention of Canada Soccer with what he’s shown.
A U18 and U20 Canadian international, the midfielder has done well in his appearances with both teams, which is why he’s hoping to earn a bigger role with Forge in the short-term, boosting his long-term prospects of cracking the CanMNT squad.
Last month, @ForgeFCHamilton's Zayne Bruno had the incredible experience of being a training player at #CanMNT's pre-World Cup camp. 🇨🇦
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) June 24, 2026
On what he learned from the unforgettable trip, and training with his heroes: #CPLSoccer | ✍️: @mitchelltierney https://t.co/XQ2j8QotXb
Given his versatility and skills on the ball, he has what it takes to play a bigger role in midfield - if anything, he’s just living through the unfortunate reality of playing on a team like Forge, especially as a midfielder, as they’re quite stacked in that position in particular.
Head coach Bobby Smyrniotis has shown, though, that he won’t be shy in allowing young players to shine when the moment is right, so Bruno will continue to push and hope that he can earn a bigger role in the months to come - and then hopefully take that opportunity with both hands.
