Not surprisingly, Atletico Ottawa has confirmed head coach Diego Mejia will be back next season.
Mejia, 42, led Ottawa to the North Star Cup for the first time in club history with a 2-1 win over Cavalry FC in the Nov. 9 Canadian Premier League championship game played in a blizzard at TD Place Stadium.
The club said Mejia, who joined Atletico in January, had his 2026 contract option "executed by mutual agreement."
Ottawa will open play in February in Concacaf Champions Cup first-round action again Major League Soccer's Nashville SC.
"I'm delighted to be returning for another season after an incredible year with the club," Mejia said in a statement. "We were the best team in the league and, in the end, we showed that to the entire world. Now we continue to evolve our philosophy. We want to grow soccer in Ottawa and Canada, while promoting the success of young players through mentorship from senior professionals."
Under Mejia, Ottawa became the first CPL club to go undefeated at home in the regular season, while setting a league record with 54 goals. Ottawa (15-2-11) finished second to Forge during the regular season with a club-record 56 points (the third-highest total in league history).
Prior to joining Ottawa, Mejia managed FC Juarez in his native Mexico.
