Aug. 26, 2026 – After meeting in the Canada West final for three straight seasons, it's no surprise that perennial conference heavyweights UBC and Mount Royal once again sit atop the preseason rankings.

The conference has revealed the results of its 2026 men's soccer coaches poll ahead of Thursday's season-opening action, with the UBC Thunderbirds topping the poll with eight first place votes. The Thunderbirds narrowly edged defending conference champion Mount Royal, who earned five first-place nods.

Victoria finished third, while Calgary and Fraser Valley rounded out the top five.

The 2026 Canada West season kicks off tomorrow afternoon with a four-game slate, beginning with a Crowchild Classic battle between MRU and Calgary (4:30 p.m. MT). That game will be followed by Trinity Western visiting UBCO, Thompson Rivers hosting Victoria, and a semifinal rematch between Fraser Valley and UBC.

Fans can watch the clash between Trinity Western and UBCO for free on Canada West TV - Powered by BioSteel, part of a new "Game of the Week" promotion that will see one free Canada West game offered each week on the platform. Kick off is set for 5 p.m. PT.

Three more games follow Saturday, before a full slate of games next week.

Can the T-Birds and Cougars continue their dominance?

The UBC Thunderbirds and Mount Royal Cougars have combined to win the past eight Canada West championships, with the teams alternating titles over the past three seasons. Mount Royal reclaimed the crown last year after a dramatic 1-0 victory over UBC in the CW Final. The Cougars rode that momentum all the way to the program’s first U SPORTS championship game appearance, where they eventually fell to York in heartbreaking fashion.

MRU is excited to unveil its recently renovated Stadium Field and will have its sights set on breaking through for a national championship.

"With a number of new recruits joining the group, there is a lot to look forward to as we continue to build together and learn from the challenges the league presents," says Cougars head coach Ryan Gyaki. "We’re also looking forward to playing on Mount Royal’s new field and hope to make the most of the opportunity with a successful season.”

The perennial powerhouse Thunderbirds will once again be among the teams to beat, led by team captain Eric Lajeunesse, who returns for his fifth and final season.

"Our team will return many starting players from the 2025 team, so we should be a strong and experienced team again for the coming season," says UBC head coach Mike Mosher, who enters his 31st campaign leading the T-Birds.

All roads this season lead to the west coast, as the Victoria Vikes will host the 2026 U SPORTS National Championships Nov. 12 to 15. Led by a strong defensive unit centered around Pacific FC draft picks Fin and Archie Tugwell, expect the Vikes to be in contention for a conference title and a national crown.

Finishing fourth in the poll, don't overlook a youthful Calgary Dinos side. Head coach Ramon Mifflin enters his third campaign with the program and will be overseeing a significantly younger roster in 2026 that features 14 first-year players. The Dinos will count on a strong returning core that includes former Canada West All-Star and All-Rookie honourees Efe Udolu-Joshua, William Omoreniye, and Joey Plenzik.

If there’s one player to watch in Canada West this season, it’s reigning U SPORTS Player of the Year Mateo Brazinha. The back-to-back Canada West Player of the Year enters his fifth season looking to help the Cascades finally break through and claim a conference title. With Vancouver FC draft pick Matheus De Souza also returning in goal, Fraser Valley has all the pieces to emerge as a serious title contender.

Fans can catch all the action on CanadaWest.TV - Presented by BioSteel, with All-Access and Regular Season Sport Passes now available for purchase. The conference's official streaming service now has mobile apps for Apple and Android, in addition to a full suite of Connected TV apps including Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Roku.