Poundmaker Cree celebrating their Battle of Nations Cup win. (M30 Athletics/Facebook)

By Austin Mattes

Long Awaited Victory

Poundmaker crowned 2025 Battle of Nations champions

Jul 22, 2025 | 5:28 PM

After a decade, the Poundmaker Cree Nation men’s soccer team has finally claimed the coveted Battle of Nations Cup, capturing the 2025 championship title in dramatic fashion this past weekend in Saskatoon.

Hosted annually by M30 Athletics, the Battle of Nations tournament brings together the top Indigenous teams from across Saskatchewan and Manitoba to compete. This year’s edition saw Poundmaker emerge as champions after a nail-biting penalty shootout victory over Mosquito in the final.

Poundmaker’s path to the title was anything but easy.

The team opened their campaign Friday evening with a solid win over Little Pine, and carried that momentum into Saturday morning with another victory over Red Pheasant, securing a spot in the quarterfinals. There, Poundmaker defeated Sweetgrass, advancing to the semi-finals.

However, their first semi-final matchup saw them fall short against Mosquito, sending them to the lower bracket in the double-elimination format. Facing elimination, Poundmaker battled back with resilience, defeating Moose Lake in a second semi-final to earn a rematch with Mosquito in the championship game.

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Poundmaker player slides through the grass after scoring a goal. (M30 Athletics/Facebook)

In a tense final that couldn’t be decided in regulation, Poundmaker kept their composure in the penalty shootout to seal a long-awaited and emotional victory.

Individual accolades also went to standout Poundmaker players. Cale Chickosis was named both Men’s Most Valuable Player and Best Goaltender for his outstanding performances between the posts throughout the tournament. Dakota Tootoosis earned the Men’s Best Forward award, showcasing his offensive abilities all weekend long.

Cale Chickosis receiving his awards. (M30 Athletics/Facebook)

In other tournament divisions, Beardys & Okemasis First Nation took home the 2025 35+ Battle of Nations Men’s Championship, while Opaskwayak Cree Nation secured their second straight title as back-to-back Women’s Champions.

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austin.mattes@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @AustinMattes