Two years ago, Atlético Ottawa was the talk of the Canadian Premier League. They finished first place in the 2022 season, an incredible feat considering they ended the 2021 season in last place. In 2022, Carlos Gonzalez was awarded Coach of the Year, and midfielder Ollie Bassett received the title of Player of the Year.
By 2023, it was no longer a secret how good Atlético was. The team fell to sixth place. The team needed to make changes, and changes have been made.
Ottawa is one of only eight cities in Canada with a Canadian Premier League team — we are very fortunate to have a team! The others are Calgary (Cavalry FC), Hamilton (Forge FC), Halifax (HFX Wanderers FC), Victoria (Pacific FC), Toronto (York United FC), Vancouver (Vancouver FC), and Winnipeg (Valour FC).
The Canadian Premier League is very competitive. Atlético Ottawa addressed this in the offseason by signing several players, including Under 21 Player of the Year, Matteo De Brienne, Canadian international defender Amer Didic, and the return of fan favourite Ballou Tabla.
In their home opener against York United, over 4,000 fans braved the unpleasant weather and watched Atlético come from behind to win 2-1. It’s the ‘never say die’ attitude that makes Atlético games a must-watch.
This weekend, they take on Cavalry FC, the team that finished first last season. They lost to Forge FC last week and will be looking for their first win of the season on Saturday at TD Place.
One thing that can’t be understated when attending an Atlético game is the passion of the fan base. As a lifelong avid supporter of sporting events in Ottawa, it is rare to see fan passion like that behind this team. As a lifelong fan of Ottawa sports events, it is rare to see fan passion like this behind a team. Fans at an Atlético Ottawa game aren’t walking the concourse; their attention is locked on the action.
The games are very affordable to attend. Atlético has been very clear that they want to make the games accessible for everyone — tomorrow’s game at 2 p.m. is a Pay What You Can Match.
Get your tickets to Saturday’s game via ticketmaster.ca
For more information on the team and ticket options like the 3-PACK, 6-PACK and Family Flex Pass, visit atleticoottawa.canpl.ca
HEADER IMAGE: Atletico’s Manny Aparicio celebrates a goal in the club’s 2024 Canadian Premier League match against York United in Ottawa on Saturday, April 13 2024. (Photo: Tim Austen/Freestyle Photography)
