Canada Soccer doesn’t want to see the Vancouver Whitecaps go anywhere.
With the Whitecaps’ place in Vancouver in jeopardy, Canada Soccer issued a statement on Thursday, affirming its commitment to helping the club remain north of the border and encouraging the necessary steps to quash any relocation talks.
“Canada Soccer recognizes and deeply values the Vancouver Whitecaps’ place in our game and in the Vancouver community,” the statement read. “We remain closely engaged in the ongoing discussions about the club’s future with both the Whitecaps and Major League Soccer. Canada Soccer supports the ongoing efforts underway to secure a positive, long-term solution that keeps the Whitecaps in Vancouver.”
On Wednesday, British Columbia Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon says the provincial government has been approached by a local group that wants to buy the Whitecaps.
The potential B.C.-based bid for the Major League Soccer team comes after a U.S. group announced a formal offer last week to buy and relocate the team to Las Vegas.
The Whitecaps are sitting at second place in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference standings, have a low salary cap and enjoy one of the best attendance records in the league.
But the team’s owners have been looking to sell since 2024, a decision they frame as necessary due to economic challenges related to stadium revenue and access.
“From our discussions, the Whitecaps ownership has approached this process with a clear commitment to finding a sustainable local solution,” Canada Soccer’s statement continued. “It has also been evident that achieving the right result will require strong, coordinated collaboration among key partners — particularly from the provincial government, including relevant crown corporations, and those involved in critical infrastructure considerations.
“Canada Soccer encourages all stakeholders to work together with urgency, creativity, and flexibility to keep this club where it belongs: in Vancouver.”
The team has said that despite its success on the field, it’s at the bottom of the league in revenue.
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said the club’s lease at BC Place wasn’t sustainable because of restricted revenue from food and beverage sales and limited scheduling flexibility.
The team signed a memorandum of understanding with the City of Vancouver in December over exploring the possibility of a stadium, and it agreed to a one-year deal with PavCo, the provincial Crown corporation that owns BC Place, in February.
Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster said at the time that the lease would not solve the team’s long-term financial viability issues.
“The Whitecaps are a cornerstone of the Canadian soccer landscape, and their continued presence in Vancouver is vital to the growth of the sport across the country,” Canada Soccer said. “The club and its ownership have helped build one of MLS’s strongest organizations, while making meaningful, long-term contributions to Canadian soccer, through player development, academy infrastructure, and sustained support for the broader soccer ecosystem. Canada Soccer will continue to stand with the Whitecaps and work with the league and public-sector partners toward a solution that keeps the Whitecaps in Vancouver.”
— with files from the Canadian Press