Gloucester Celtic FC crowned Soccer Canada's 2026 national champions

Gloucester Celtic FC hoisting the Challenge Trophy in the air, celebrating becoming national champions. It's everything. It's everything we've been waiting for all year, and this is what we dreamed of, having everyone here and winning it for the fans. They beat the Vancouver ICSF Columbus FC 3-1 on Monday in front of over 1,000 fans who lined Julian de Guzman Field, many sporting the team's green and white stripes. Joey Kuhn was named MVP. It's been a long week, but to do it in front of the fans, family, our support, our club, the alumni, it's been incredible. So it was a tight win, a bit too tight for us after the first half, but we got it done. The Ottawa Gloucester Soccer Club hosted the 2026 Canada Soccer National Championships over the long weekend for the first time ever. It's Canada Soccer's biggest and oldest amateur competition, and it's the fourth time the Celtic have been crowned champions. Kewin's mom, Lou, drove from London to witness it. She was in the crowd with a big sign plastered with her son's face. It just means so much to him. And when your child achieves such great heights in his cherished sport, it just, yeah, it gives you the chills. And we lost Joey's dad 13 years ago, and so there's doing that for dad, too. And, yeah, there's a lot going on. but so much pride so much happiness. This marks the official end to the Celtics season now some well-deserved rest before next season starts up in the spring. Emma Weller, CBC News, Ottawa.