AFC Toronto have been crowned 2026 Northern Super League (NSL) champions after securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Montreal Roses in Saturday’s championship final at TD Place in Ottawa.
Seventeen-year-old Olivia Chisholm proved the difference-maker, scoring the decisive goal in the 39th minute to deliver Toronto’s first-ever Diana B. Matheson Cup.
The young forward converted a cutback from Lauren Rowe, who beat her defender on the right flank before supplying the pass into the penalty area. Chisholm finished from the middle of the box, registering her first professional goal at the biggest possible moment.
The victory represents redemption for Toronto, who finished runners-up in the inaugural NSL Championship last season after losing to Vancouver Rise.
Montreal, meanwhile, entered the contest as favourites after finishing top of the regular-season standings and winning their first-ever Supporters’ Shield. The Roses had also arrived in Ottawa on a 12-match unbeaten run and were chasing a historic league double.
However, despite their impressive campaign, they could not find a way past Toronto’s resilient defence.
The Roses increased the pressure after the interval, creating several opportunities in search of an equaliser. Sabrina D’Angelo produced crucial interventions, including saves against Lisa Pechersky and Elyse Bennett, to preserve Toronto’s advantage. She finished the final with three saves and a clean sheet, her second of the postseason.
Montreal registered 14 shots but ultimately failed to break down Toronto’s defensive resistance.
Toronto had secured its place in the final with an emphatic 8-2 aggregate victory over Ottawa Rapid FC in the semi-finals, while Montreal defeated Vancouver Rise 5-2 on aggregate to reach its first-ever championship final.
The triumph completes a remarkable turnaround for Toronto, who finished third in the 2026 regular-season standings after losing the previous year’s championship final to Vancouver.
It also makes AFC Toronto the first club in Northern Super League history to win both major honours, having previously lifted the Supporters’ Shield in 2025 before claiming the Diana B. Matheson Cup in 2026.
For Chisholm, the match-winning strike was particularly special, marking her first professional goal at just 17 years of age. For Toronto, it was the long-awaited reward for a season of resilience, determination and redemption.
AFC Toronto are the 2026 Northern Super League champions!
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