Montreal Impact (1993–2011)
Montreal Impact (1993–2011)
The Montreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club from Montreal, Quebec. The team was founded in December 1992 and began play in 1993. They competed in the United States’ lower divisions, starting in the American Professional Soccer League, then moving through the A-League/USL First Division, the USSF D-2 Pro League, and the North American Soccer League.
The Impact played home games at Complexe Sportif Claude-Robillard until 2008, when Saputo Stadium opened in their east end home. Saputo Stadium, privately financed, seated about 13,034 at first (later expanded).
Their colors were blue and white, and their crest featured a fleur-de-lis with stars to mark league titles. The Impact won three league championships (1994, 2004, 2009), plus multiple Canadian titles (Voyageurs Cup) from 2002 through 2008 and the 2009 Canadian Championship.
The club also operated a reserve team, Trois-Rivières Attak (2006–2010) in the Canadian Soccer League, and later created the Montreal Impact Academy. There was a short-lived indoor team in the NPSL during the late 1990s.
In 2010, owner Joey Saputo was granted an MLS expansion franchise for Montreal, to begin play in 2012. Although the MLS club is a separate legal entity, it initially kept the Montreal Impact name and later rebranded as CF Montréal in 2021, while continuing the legacy in MLS.
Rivalries and supporters were strong, especially with the Rochester Rhinos and Toronto FC. The club had a devoted supporter group, UM02 (Ultras Montréal 2002), known for the motto Toujours Fidèles. A highlight attendance moment came in 2009 when a CONCACAF Champions League match against Santos Laguna drew a record 55,571 fans to the Olympic Stadium.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 17:03 (CET).