The 2026 Forge FC season is the eighth season in the history of Forge FC and the club's eighth season in the Canadian Premier League (CPL), the top flight in Canadian soccer. Forge are the two-time defending CPL Shield winners, having finished first in the 2024 and 2025 CPL seasons.
In addition to the Canadian Premier League, the competed in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and will also contest the Canadian Championship.
Forge FC will enter the 2026 Canadian Premier League season as the two-time reigning regular season winners after having finished first and claiming the CPL Shield in both the 2024 and 2025 CPL seasons. The 2025 shield was the club's third regular season title and seventh trophy in seven years. In the CPL playoffs, Forge were eliminated in the semifinals, making the 2025 CPL final the first in league history not to feature Forge.
The Hammers will also compete in the 2026 Canadian Championship, a domestic cup organized by the Canadian Soccer Association. In the 2025 edition, Forge advanced to the semifinal, defeating MLS side CF Montréal in the quarterfinal for the second year in a row, before being knocked out by the eventual champion Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Forge qualified for the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup as 2025 CPL regular season winners. This was Forge's fourth appearance in the competition and third appearance in a row. In the 2025 edition, Forge faced Mexican side Monterrey in round one, losing 5âÂÂ0 on aggregate.
Head coach and sporting director Bobby Smyrniotis is contracted to return for his eighth season with the club after signing a four-year contract extension in 2023.
Forge reported that it had opened its preseason in Hamilton with medicals on January12 before starting training the next day. The club is scheduled to travel to Cancun for two weeks of training where it will play friendlies against Liga Premier club Inter Playa del Carmen and MLS club Orlando City SC.
Forge FC made two selections in the 2026 CPLâÂÂU Sports Draft on November28, 2025. Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster; only those who are signed to a contract will be listed as transfers in.
Prior to the season, the Hamilton Sports Group welcomed businessman and investor Angelo Paletta as a minority owner.
In November 2025, Canadian Soccer Business announced a multi-year partnership with Hummel to be the CPL's new kit and apparel partner starting with the 2026 season, replacing Macron. In December, the league Moneris as the new sleeve sponsor for every CPL club.
On January6, Forge unveiled a black and orange third kit that pays homage to the defunct Hamilton Steelers (1981âÂÂ1992) and made available only to the club's season seat members. Later in the month, Forge unveiled its new orange primary kit and dark gray alternate kit.
Matches are listed in Hamilton local time: Eastern Daylight Time (UTCâÂÂ4) from March8 until November1, and Eastern Standard Time (UTCâÂÂ5) otherwise.
The Canadian Premier League announced its schedule on February2. The season is scheduled to include a pause starting June11 for the 2026 FIFA World Cup before resuming on June26.
The Canadian Championship draw was held on January17. As one of the four-highest ranked clubs based on the Canadian Championship Club Ranking Index, Forge were pre-seeded for the draw.
Canada Soccer announced the preliminary round schedule on February5.
The CONCACAF Champions Cup draw was held on December9, 2025, with Forge drawing Liga MX side Tigres UANL in round one. Having qualified as CPL regular season winners, Forge entered the competition in round one and began play in February.
The round one schedule was announced on December12, 2025.