York United FC will face local rivals Forge FC in the preliminary round of the 2024 Canadian Championship on Wednesday, 1 May.

The game will be played at Tim Hortons Field with a kick-off time of 7pm.

The winner of the tie faces CF Montreal in the quarter-finals later in the month.

It means that The Nine Stripes will do battle with the reigning CPL champions twice in the space of 10 days, with Forge the guests at York Lions Stadium on Sunday, 21 April.

The schedule is certainly intense for Martin Nash's side in the opening few weeks of the season. After beginning the campaign in Ottawa on Saturday, 13 April and then facing Forge in a home opener the following Sunday, they welcome Vancouver FC to York Lions Stadium on Friday, 26 April. Then it's Forge in the Can Champ in midweek followed by a trip to Victoria for a Saturday night clash with Pacific FC on Saturday, 4 May.