Atlético Ottawa not playing in Ottawa for first round of Concacaf championships

Atletico Ottawa's Gabriel Mendes Antinoro (11) kisses the North Star Cup following Atletico Ottawa’s victory over Cavalry FC in extra time during the Canadian Premier League finals soccer action in Ottawa, on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

Hot off their win in the Canadian Premier League (CPL) Finals, Atlético Ottawa is bound for the Concacaf Champions Cup, only the club won’t be hosting their first round opponents in the capital.

Tuesday’s Concacaf Champions Cup draw revealed that the Ottawa club will be taking on Nashville SC of Major League Soccer in the first round of competition. However, on Friday, Atlético Ottawa announced their home game will not be played at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, due to “an exciting renovation project.”

Instead, the team will play their Tuesday, Feb. 17 match out of Hamilton Stadium in Hamilton, Ont.

“Atlético Ottawa is proud to be competing in its first Concacaf Champions Cup,” Atlético Ottawa CEO Manuel Vega said in a press release. “The ongoing renovation at Lansdowne will position TD Place as a premier venue for future Concacaf events, with Atlético Ottawa recognized throughout the region.”

The organization says they considered multiple venues across Ontario and Quebec, but Hamilton Stadium was chosen in the end.

“We’re pleased to confirm that our 2026 Champions Cup home match will be held within a reasonable travel distance for our supporters, and we will work closely with our Season Seat Members, Supporters Groups and Partners to ensure the experience is accessible to all,” Vega wrote.

In a statement to CTV News, the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) said the game will be played in Hamilton due to construction work for the new event centre included in the Lansdowne 2.0 redevelopment.

“Should Atlético Ottawa advance in the Concacaf Champions Cup, we are assessing the potential to host the next round at TD Place, but at this stage it’s too early to determine,” wrote Janice Barresi, senior vice president of brand and social impact at OSEG.

Construction for Lansdowne 2.0 began in late November.

Atlético Ottawa’s snow-filled CPL Finals victory over Cavalry FC drew international interest and produced the viral “icicle kick” which gained over 1 billion views on social media.

The Concacaf Champions Cup brings together the top clubs from North America, Central America and the Caribbean, and the winner of the 27-team tournament qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup.

The second match of the Ottawa-Nashville series will be played on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at Geodis Park in Nashville Tennessee. The aggregate score winner of the series advances to the Round of 16.

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