The 2026 iteration of the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional League (SPFL) third season has wrapped its opening weekend, with two teams emerging at the top of the early table after securing hard-fought opening victories at the Philip Marcellin Ground. The competitive campaign got underway earlier with the traditional Community Shield curtain-raiser, where newly promoted Tier 2 side Anse La Raye pulled off a stunning upset against two-time defending Tier 1 champions La Clery.
In the Community Shield match, Mervin St Romain put La Clery ahead in the 18th minute, and the favorites held their lead all the way into stoppage time of the second half. With just seconds left on the clock, Anthony Cadette equalized for Anse La Raye in the 90th minute, forcing the match into extra time. In the fifth minute of extra time stoppage, Brandon Williams found the back of the net to seal a dramatic 2-1 win for the promoted newcomers, kicking off the SPFL season with a major upset.
On the opening weekend of regular season play, Soufrière turned in a dominant performance to kick off their campaign after a close call against relegation last term. Finishing eighth in the 2025 season, Soufrière avoided dropping down a division by just a single point over the bottom-placed Choiseul, leaving many fans wondering if the side could turn their fortunes around this year. They answered those questions with a resounding 3-0 shutout of Central Castries, powered by a flawless hat-trick from standout striker William Cenac that put them straight to the top of the early table.
Fellow opening weekend winners Canaries also delivered a solid performance to secure three points, following up their 2025 fourth-place finish with a narrow 2-1 victory over Mabouya Valley. Steven Octave opened the scoring for Canaries early in the clash, before Donavan Jn Baptiste doubled the side’s lead to put them up 2-0. While Mabouya Valley’s Torian Joseph pulled one goal back late as a consolation, Canaries held firm defensively to protect their lead and claim all three points.
The other opening weekend fixture saw the much-anticipated Battle of the South between Vieux Fort South and Vieux Fort North end in a 0-0 draw after regular time. To break the deadlock, the two sides went to a penalty shootout, where Vieux Fort North emerged victorious with a 5-4 win on penalties.
Looking ahead to the next round of fixtures, the SPFL top division will return to action at the Philip Marcellin Ground on July 4 and 5 for three consecutive matches. Dennery will face off against 2025 semifinalists Gros Islet, while Community Shield losers La Clery will test their form against newly promoted Vieux Fort North, and 2025 finalists Vieux Fort South will go up against the giant-killers of the Community Shield, Anse La Raye. Upcoming matches for the two opening weekend leaders are also scheduled: Canaries will take on Central Castries on July 24, immediately after the annual Saint Lucia Carnival weekend, while Soufrière will clash with Gros Islet on July 25.