During the opening weekend of the 2021 Canadian Premier League season, the league and its players will be acknowledging the dark history of residential schools in Canada, and honouring those affected by the schools.

Over the past month, Canada was reminded of the tragedy of residential schools when the remains of children were found at several residential school sites throughout the country. Residential schools remain a dark and sad chapter in Canada’s history and the Canadian Premier League joins with Indigenous communities across this nation in mourning alongside Canadians who continue to learn about the violence that took place in the past and into today. In acknowledgement of this tragedy and the hundreds of children and families affected by this starting with the inaugural Canadian Premier League 2021 season match between FC Edmonton vs Atletico Ottawa on June 26 at 2pm ET / 1pm CT, during each Club’s first match, players will enter the field and line up with the officials and all will be wearing an orange Every Child Matters warmup top for their first match of the regular season. In honour of the hundreds of children whose remains have been found a vigil of hundreds of children shoes has been set up for the player walkout from the vigil site at The Forks in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

An orange box with Every Child Matters has been painted on the pitch at IG Field, located on Treaty 1 Territory and will remain for the duration of The Kickoff.

A special land blessing and acknowledgement was conducted during the first match on Saturday by Elder Florence Paynter, Singer Ray Stevenson and Niigaan Sinclair, Professor of Native Studies at the University of Manitoba who said some opening words in acknowledgement and offered an opening song.