401 Derby: Toronto FC and CF Montreal to renew MLS rivalry this weekend

TORONTO — The long-running rivalry between Toronto FC and CF Montreal has had its share of interesting – and intense – moments over the years.

The latest chapter in the Highway 401 derby will have a different feel to it Saturday but the intensity is expected to be high at BMO Field just the same.

Long gone are the heady days of a decade ago when the teams met for the Eastern Conference crown. Now both teams are well down the standings, with TFC trying to stay within striking distance of a playoff spot while the visitors are looking to escape the conference basement.

“Recently I heard a fan say this to someone, that they don’t care about anything but the Montreal game,” Toronto coach Robin Fraser said Wednesday. “I think that tells you pretty much what the feeling is going into this.”

Montreal (6-15-6) enters play last in the 15-team conference with 24 points. Toronto (6-10-11) isn’t much better with 29 points, but is just four points off the playoff cutline with seven games left.

“We are running out opportunities, so for sure it feels like a must-win,” Fraser said.

The Toronto-Montreal sporting rivalry has run deep for decades in a number of sports. The NHL’s Maple Leafs and Canadiens have deep history, as do the CFL’s Argonauts and Alouettes.

The Big Smoke can be a big target for many throughout the country, but the disdain for the Ontario capital perhaps run deepest in Montreal.

The cities have distinctly different cultures and styles. The fact they’re only a 5 1/2-hour drive away from each other also helps fuel the fire.

“These games are always intense,” said Toronto FC midfielder Jonathan Osorio. “They’re always tough and no matter what the standings are or where the two teams sit on the table, this game means a lot, especially for the fans.”

Toronto won the first-ever competitive meeting between the sides, a 1-0 decision at the 2008 Voyageurs Cup at Montreal’s Stade Saputo.

Then playing in a lower tier as the Impact, Montreal came back to win the Canadian championship tournament that year to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League.

Tony Martino, a leadership team member of the “1642 MTL” supporters’ group, said the energy is always heightened when these teams meet, even though they’ve struggled at times in recent years.

“You do feel something different,” he said from Montreal. “You do feel that this game is a little bit more critical in terms of bragging rights.”

Montreal joined MLS in 2012 and beat Toronto 2-1 that year in front of a lively crowd at Olympic Stadium.

“They’ve had some pretty contentious battles over the years,” said soccer journalist John Molinaro, who has covered TFC since its MLS debut. “Like some really physical battles. And some great games.”

In the 2015 playoffs, the Impact blanked TFC 3-0 in a knockout-round game at Stade Saputo.

Toronto came through the next year by taking a memorable home-and-home Eastern final.

“That’s still regarded, not just by people in Toronto and Montreal, but in the league as one of the best playoff series in league history,” said Molinaro, founder of the TFC Republic website. “It had everything.

“It really was an epic two-game series.”

Montreal led 3-2 after the first leg before TFC came back at BMO Field, scoring twice in extra time to win 7-5 on aggregate and qualify for the MLS Cup for the first time.

“I think people that have been TFC fans since Day 1 would suggest that that is probably the best environment we have ever seen in that stadium,” said TSN soccer broadcaster Luke Wileman.

The stakes are different now but there will likely be a distinct aura Saturday afternoon at BMO Field.

With mostly sunny conditions in the forecast and a high of 20 C, the atmosphere should be a good one for two teams hoping to finish the season strong.

“It’s a big game not only because it’s a derby, it’s (also) the point where we are right now in the season,” said Toronto FC midfielder Niklas Dorsch. “It is a big game. We need the points so much.”

Montreal and Toronto most recently played to a 0-0 draw on July 16 at Stade Saputo.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2026.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press