Vancouver Whitecaps focused ahead of regular-season finale against CF Montreal

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps believe their job is far from done.

The ‘Caps (18-8-7) have already clinched the top spot in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference and with it home field against any Western team in the playoffs.

There’s still lots to play for, though, as the team prepares to visit CF Montreal on Saturday for the final game of the regular season, said striker Brian White.

“We’re out to get three points. I think that’s the way we look at it,” he said. “Obviously, they don’t have much to play for at this moment, so you don’t know how they’re going to come out. But we have everything to play for, and we’re going to go out with the best intention to win that game.”

It’s been a difficult year for Montreal (6-19-8).

The club will finish the campaign last in the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs for the second year in a row.

That doesn’t mean they should be counted out for Saturday’s matchup, said Whitecaps defender Ralph Priso.

“I think any time Canadian teams are playing against each other, it’s always something you get excited for,” said the Canadian centre back.

“So, just because they don’t have really anything left to play for, I think there will be a lot of guys just playing to show themselves, to show that they’re at the level that they can contribute to good teams, and so it’ll be a difficult game.”

A bright spot for Montreal in 2026 was the Canadian Championship, where the club downed the Whitecaps 3-2 on aggregate over a two-game semifinal series before falling to Canadian Premier League side Forge FC in the final.

“Even though they have not had the best results (in MLS), they have some good players that could make a difference against us in that game,” said Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen.

Vancouver could be without some top players for the regular-season finale.

Sorensen said he doesn’t expect defensive midfielder Andres Cubas or forward Emmanuel Sabbi to travel to Quebec, but superstar attacking midfielder Thomas Muller could be back in the lineup “if he’s ready to go.”

“We’ll of course have one eye on the short game, and also one eye a little bit on the longer term,” the coach said. “But it’s also important that we keep competitiveness and the good performances we have had as of late, then we keep that going.”

White is expected to be available and would have an opportunity to improve his position in the league’s Golden Boot race.

With three goals over Vancouver’s last two games, the American attacker now has 20 on the season, the third-most in MLS behind Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi (26) and Petar Musa of FC Dallas (22).

Through the ups and downs of the year, White said he’s been focused on keeping the right habits and mentality.

“Obviously, stretches can happen where the ball isn’t falling back into the back of the net, maybe you don’t take the chances the right way. And it’s easy for things to go sideways from there,” he said.

“But I try to remember the fundamentals. Focus on hold-up play. Can I stay active in the box? Can I create chances? Can I help the team defensively? So focusing on that and helping the team win is first and foremost.”

Collecting a win on Saturday is what every player on the team is focused on, no matter what’s next on their schedule, said Priso.

The centre back’s calendar is full of flights this month after he was named to Canada’s roster for the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals.

After playing in Montreal on Saturday, he’ll fly to Guatemala to join the national squad ahead of Canada’s game there on Nov. 13.

Finding balance between club and country over the coming weeks is easy, Priso said.

“I don’t think it’s too difficult to manage when kind of every immediate thing is so important,” he said. “Maybe at other points in the year you can kind of look over games, but I think we’re in a part of the year and a part of the national team kind of schedule that everything that’s coming is so important, and so it’s easy to stay focused on the next thing.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2026.

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press