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For Anthony Aromatario, the call-up came together quickly. After a short run of training sessions, he was added to Forge FC’s substitute list for their 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup opener.

Earlier this week, Aromatario, 22, learned he would be part of Canadian Premier League side Forge FC’s squad for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, joining the club on a Short-Term Replacement Contract ahead of Round One. Just days later, the central midfielder was stepping onto the pitch for the opening leg against Mexican side Tigres UANL, one of the most accomplished clubs in the region.

“I had an idea earlier in the week that I might be part of the squad,” Aromatario said. “Once it became official, everything moved quickly.”

The match — played at Hamilton Stadium in Hamilton, Ont. on Tuesday, Feb. 3 — marked Aromatario’s first professional appearance. While the call-up itself wasn’t entirely unexpected, the responsibility that followed was immediate. In the 61st minute, Aromatario came onto the pitch and played the final 29 minutes in midfield, entering at the same time as Tigres forward Ángel Correa, a member of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup–winning squad — a clear indication of the level he was asked to step into.

“I didn’t expect to get as many minutes as I did,” he said. “I was delighted to be put in that early.”

That trust was built long before this moment, through Canada’s domestic development pathway. Aromatario came through Premier Soccer Leagues Canada, developing in the Ontario Premier League (formerly League1 Ontario) with North Toronto Nitros in 2024 before a standout 2025 season with Woodbridge Strikers SC, who finished as the provincial champions.

Playing a central role in Woodbridge’s title-winning campaign, Aromatario was named the League’s Most Valuable Player, emerging as one of the competition’s most influential midfielders and firmly establishing himself within the PSLC pathway.

That momentum carried into the university game. At York University, playing for the York Lions, Aromatario became a regular presence in midfield, earning OUA Second Team All-Star honours while helping the program claim OUA silver and U SPORTS gold during the 2025 season.

Now, that development has translated to an international club competition.

“Of course, against a Mexican team like Tigres, it was a big challenge,” Aromatario said. “But I believed I was able to play at this level. I’m very happy with my performance. The fans at Forge were amazing.”

Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis said Aromatario’s inclusion reflected sustained evaluation through the pathway.

“He’s honestly someone we watched a lot through [Ontario Premier League],” Smyrniotis said post-match. “He’s had an excellent past year, both in [PSLC] and U SPORTS. He stepped on the field because he deserved it.”

For Aromatario, the moment also belonged to the environments that helped shape him.

“They gave me a platform to really express myself,” he said of his time with Woodbridge Strikers. “Now I’m here, and anything is possible. There’s a lot of power in belief.”

That belief will be tested again soon.

With the opening leg ending in a scoreless draw, Forge FC will travel to Mexico for the second leg of the Round One matchup on Tuesday, Feb. 10 — another chance for a PSLC-developed player to continue turning domestic development into experience on the Concacaf stage.

Aromatario’s Short-Term Replacement Contract remains valid through the conclusion of the series and is eligible to be extended should the club advance.