The Talent shines Brighter than the Sun at the 2026 Adult Provincial Championships
On a hot and sunny Saturday in Surrey, the eight 2026 Adult Provincial Championships took place at Newton Athletic Park. The day was full of action right from the first kick off and ended with one club having a performance for the ages.
The day began with ICSF Columbus facing off against Croatia SC Vatreni for the Men's O45-Cup. This would be the second cup final between these two sides, with Croatia coming out victorious earlier in the season. Columbus would score the first goal of the game in the 72nd minute, before adding an insurance marker just 10 minutes later.
Croatia would grab one in stoppage time to make things a bit more exciting, just until Columbus would re-store their two-goal lead less than one minute later. ICSF Columbus are your 2026 O45-Cup Provincial Champions.
The next match of the day was a battle between ICSF Columbus and FC Sumy for the Men's Masters A-Cup Championship. This was a feisty affair that saw three yellow cards brandished in the first 18 minutes. When it was all said and done, there would be 10 yellows in total, and one sending off.
These two sides were quite evenly matched, and it was a goal just after halftime that would separate the sides. Despite a late onslaught from FC Sumy, ICSF Columbus would hold on to the 1-0 win and lift the Men's Masters A-Cup.
A battle between NVFC Norvan and Prospect Lake Lakers for the Men's Masters B-Cup was next up. The first half was dominated by Norvan as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead within 10 minutes, then would double their lead before halftime.
Prospect Lake would push to get back into the game early in the second half, however a quick Norvan goal would all but seal it for the VMSL side. Prospect Lake would get one back, only for Norvan to add one more on their way to Men's Masters B-Cup glory.
The first women's competition of the day saw Vic West FC face off against Nanaimo United for the Women's Masters B-Cup. These two Lower Island Women's Soccer Association (LIWSA) teams started off fast with Nanaimo United taking the lead after just 7 minutes, and Vic West equalizing 5 minutes later.
The rest of the first half would slow down, before Vic West breaks the deadlock early in the second half. As Nanaimo pushed to find the tying goal, Vic West found one more chance and took it to secure a 3-1 win to be crowned Women's Masters B-Cup Champions.
The Women's A-Cup and a tightly contested battle between Coquitlam Metro-Ford SC and Trinity Western University was the next match of the day. CMFSC would break the deadlock 15 minutes into the match and it would stay that until halftime.
Whatever was said to TWU at halftime clearly worked as they would find the equalizer just 3 minutes into the second half. The rest of the match would be back-and-forth until the 86th minute when CMFSC would fine their second, and the Women's A-Cup winning goal.
The 2026 Keith Millar Men's B-Cup was contested by Campbell River Golden Wings of the Vancouver Island Soccer League and Meraloma FC of the Vancouver Metro Soccer League. A fast start by the Golden Wings brought forward a mistake at the back for the Lomas and Campbell River took full advantage, 1-0.
Meraloma spent the majority of the first half dominating play and creating chance after chance, just for the Golden Wings to counter quick and draw a penalty kick off a questionable handball. 2-0 Golden Wings at the half.
It was all Lomas in the second half, similar to their semi-final matchup a week earlier. In the 65th minute the Lomas pull one back, and continue the onslaught. Campbell River would stand tall until the 91st when Meraloma would find their equalizer. Campbell River would come out victorious and ruin the Lomas chance at completing the comeback.
The last women's match of the day would see Surrey United x Unity square off against Vancouver United in the Leeta Sokalski Women's B-Cup. This match started slow and conservative, until Surrey found the opener just 3 minutes before halftime.
The second half would start the same way the first half ended, with a Surrey goal 3 minutes after the break. Vancouver United would continue to push for a way back into this game, but Surrey found their 3rd in the 65th minute. That's all she wrote and Surrey United x Unity are the Women's B-Cup champions.
The last match of the day was the Men's A-Cup final between ICSF Columbus and Vic West FC. It started fast and strong, with off-setting yellow cards in the first 15 minutes, just moments before Columbus opened the scoring off a stunning free kick.
The advantage would stay with Columbus until the 70th minute when they doubled their lead. Vic West wouldn't go away quietly as they found the back of the net off a scramble in the 92nd minute. Too little too late as the final whistle blew and ICSF Columbus were crowned Provincial Champions.
It was a great day of competition at Newton Athletic Park with 8 champions crowned. However, the story of the day being the strength of ICSF Columbus as a club. The historic club has been around the Lower Mainland for decades and this year had three different teams competing in three different age groups. This year, all three Columbus teams won.
An extra congratulations goes out to the winners of the A-cups (ICSF Columbus, ICSF Columbus Masters, and Coquitlam Metro-Ford SC) who have all punched their tickets to the Canadian Nationals later this year.
