CPL Teams With the Highest Draw Percentage

The Canadian Premier League produces a high number of closely contested matches, and the ongoing season followed that same pattern. Of 117 matches, 34 ended in draws, resulting in an overall draw rate of 29%.

However, those results weren’t evenly distributed. A small group of teams accounted for a disproportionate share, driven by tactical approach, risk management, and game control.

Statistical Draw Trends Across the CPL

Sides such as Atlético Ottawa and Forge FC regularly prioritize structure and risk control, which tends to produce tight scorelines and shared points. Others, including Cavalry FC, show clear home-and-away contrasts, with draws appearing frequently in one setting but rarely in the other. These patterns reflect differences in tactical approach and game management, not random variation.

Taken together, this suggests that CPL draws are often shaped by situational decision-making at the team level, rather than by the kind of structural pressures seen in competitions like the UEFA Champions League, where draws are influenced by knockout format and aggregate scoring.

CPL Teams With the Highest Draw Percentages (Latest Season)

Atlético Ottawa

Atlético Ottawa finished the 2025 CPL regular season as the league’s most draw-prone side, recording 11 draws in 28 matches (39.3%), the highest total in the competition.

They were difficult to beat throughout the season, losing just two matches compared to 15 wins, while maintaining a tight goals-against record that reflected a strong defensive base. Turning extended spells of control into wins, however, was often the challenge. 

In their 1–1 draw against Forge FC, Ottawa increased the tempo after the hour mark, created several late chances, and equalized deep into stoppage time (90+3). Even after leveling the score, they continued to push forward, briefly threatening to turn the draw into a late victory.

Forge FC

Forge FC ranked just behind Ottawa in draw frequency, finishing the regular season with 10 draws in 28 matches (35.7%).

Their draws often reflected a controlled game-management approach, particularly in evenly matched fixtures. Against a fellow high-draw Atlético Ottawa side, Forge recorded two 1–1 draws in their last five meetings, with only one of those matches producing more than two total goals, showing how their conservative approach compounded when facing similar tactical profiles.

Forge showed little variation between home and away performances, recording a similar number of draws in both settings, with matches frequently settling into balanced phases rather than escalating into late, high-risk exchanges.

Vancouver FC

Vancouver FC also featured among the league’s higher draw-percentage teams, posting nine draws in 28 regular-season matches (32.1%).

Many of those results followed matches where Vancouver struggled to maintain momentum after strong passages of play. Games often swung between phases of pressure without either side establishing lasting control, leading to stalemates rather than decisive outcomes.

Cavalry FC

Cavalry FC matched the league average almost perfectly. They finished the 2025 CPL regular season with nine draws from 28 matches (32.1%), closely matching the league average.

The home-and-away split explains how those results were distributed. Cavalry drew three of their 14 home matches, compared to six draws in 14 away fixtures. This shows a clear tendency toward more conservative, point-focused performances on the road, while home matches were more likely to produce a winner.

These figures reflect a side that managed risk more carefully away from home, prioritizing defensive stability and game control rather than pushing for decisive outcomes.

York United

York United recorded eight draws in 28 regular-season matches (28.6%), placing them among the league’s consistent draw sides. What stood out was the balance between home and away results, with four draws at home and four on the road, suggesting little shift in approach based on venue. 

In their 2–2 draw against Atlético Ottawa, York conceded first in the eighth minute before equalizing quickly in the 10th. The squad allowed another one in the 49th before finding the net only five minutes later, with both teams creating chances late on but failing to convert sustained pressure into a decisive goal. Similar patterns appeared across other fixtures, where momentum shifted without producing a clear winner.

What the Numbers Actually Show

When the draw data is analyzed across teams rather than reviewed individually, clear structural patterns emerge. Draws in the 2025 CPL weren’t evenly spread or random; instead, they clustered around specific tactical behaviors and venue-related tendencies. Seen together, the numbers point to three distinct draw profiles, offering deeper insight into CPL draw statistics beyond surface-level results.

• High-frequency draw teams consistently treat a draw as an acceptable outcome rather than a missed opportunity. Atlético Ottawa are the clearest example. Their elevated draw rate reflects a controlled approach that prioritizes limiting losses over forcing late wins. Matches involving two teams with this profile are more likely to settle once equilibrium is reached, a pattern that regularly appears in broader draw stats across the league.
• Location-dependent teams show pronounced home-away splits in draw outcomes. Cavalry FC fall into this category, with a significantly higher share of away matches ending level compared to home fixtures. This suggests a more conservative, containment-based approach on the road, where avoiding defeat takes precedence over aggressive game states.
• Finally, venue-neutral draw teams maintain similar match behavior regardless of location. York United typifies this profile. Their draws tend to emerge from open but unstable matches, where momentum shifts without sustained control from either side. Because their approach changes little between home and away games, their draw probability remains comparatively stable across venues.

Taken together, these profiles show that the CPL draw landscape is driven primarily by tactical intent and risk management, not by league-wide averages or chance distribution.

Why These Teams Draw More Often Than Others

A common trait among these teams is a conservative base shape. Full-backs rarely push forward at the same time, defensive lines stay compact, and teams avoid opening games up unless they fall behind. Atlético Ottawa’s matches, in particular, often slowed once scores were level, limiting transitions and clear chances for both sides.

Midfield congestion reinforces this dynamic. In fixtures involving Cavalry FC and Vancouver FC, possession frequently circulates through tight central areas without producing sustained pressure or high shot volume. When both teams cancel each other out in midfield, expected goals remain low, which helps explain why controlled scorelines such as 1–1 and 0–0 recur more often than higher-scoring outcomes in the CPL.

How to Profit From High Draw Percentages

Draw value in the CPL tends to appear in specific situations rather than at random. Matches between teams with similar draw profiles can be a solid starting point, particularly when both sides sit mid-table and have limited incentive to take early risks. These fixtures often remain balanced longer than pre-match odds suggest.

Live betting can add further context. When a draw-prone team such as Atlético Ottawa or Cavalry FC reaches halftime level in a low-tempo match, the second half often follows a similar pattern.

During the 2025 season, Atlético Ottawa saw 13 of 30 first halves end in draws (43%), indicating that many of their matches reached halftime in balanced game states. While draw frequency dropped in the second half (nine of 30 matches, 30%), the persistence of level scorelines through halftime shows that early match phases often remained stable before games became more decisive after the break.

In those situations, in-play draw prices haven’t always adjusted immediately to reflect how little the match dynamic has changed.

Unlike knockout tournaments, where game state can change incentives quickly due to elimination pressure or aggregate scores, CPL league matches often reflect steady risk management week to week. Teams are generally focused on point accumulation and table position rather than single-match urgency, which helps explain why draw patterns in the CPL tend to follow consistent behavioral trends across the season.

Responsible Gambling

Draw odds are higher for a reason. Teams with strong draw profiles still win or lose more often than they split points.

Use draw trends as guidance, not guarantees. Set limits, avoid chasing results, and step back when decisions stop being deliberate.

By Juan Pablo Aravena

Updated: 04 Feb 2026, 22:28