The Canadian Premier League has unveiled the home and away kits for each of its seven clubs and there are some winners and losers.
The CPL’s inaugural game is April 27 when Forge FC (Hamilton) hosts York9 FC (Toronto) at Tim Hortons Field — a contest that will feature two of the best uniforms in the league.
The teal jersey that Pacific FC (Victoria) will wear during road games is a tad hard on the eyes and ranks last on my list of the 14 kits. However, the team’s home uniform (No. 3 overall) is a brilliant dual purple combination with Poseidon’s trident featured on the front.
The HFX Wanderers (Halifax) are on the list at No. 13 with their light blue away kit, while their dark blue home jersey comes in ninth. The home and away combo is the most basic of the bunch.
Cavalry FC (Calgary) has an intriguing set of jerseys: a home shirt that is red with a thick white sash (No. 12) and an away jersey that is dominated by a green camouflage print (No. 6). The red and green provide the greatest contrast among the group of home and away apparel.
Winnipeg’s Valour FC is ranked 11th when it comes to its home red jersey, but its away kit with a brilliant red dotted design on a black background — and a stylized ‘V’ on the back — earns it the No. 1 ranking on the list.
FC Edmonton’s home blue kit comes in at No. 10 while the former NASL club’s away jersey — a white canvas with thin blue pinstripes — lands at No. 4. The addition of a shaded ‘Rally Rabbit’ on the back of the jerseys is a nice touch.
The entries from York9 are a simple but smart-looking green shirt (No. 8) and a home white kit with nine green stripes (representing the nine York Region communities) that earns the No. 5 spot on the list.
Last, but certainly not least, is Hamilton’s Forge FC. The club’s bright orange home jersey lands at No. 7 while the away kit — a striking grey top that pays homage to Hamilton’s manufacturing history — will be a hit with fans and stands at No. 2.
It is encouraging to see the fledgling league launch kits that are not out of touch with what soccer fans are accustomed to seeing. The designers have come up with some bold and creative choices that fans will respect and come to admire.
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CPL uniform rankings
1. Valour FC away
2. Forge FC away
3. Pacific FC home
4. FC Edmonton away
5. York9 FC home
6. Cavalry FC away
7. Forge FC home
8. York9 FC away
9. HFX Wanderers FC home
10. FC Edmonton home
11. Valour FC home
12. Cavalry FC home
13. HFX Wanderers FC away
14. Pacific FC away
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