Soccer in Canada has consistently been a back-seat sport to the likes of hockey, football, and baseball even though it has some of the highest participation of youth and is one of the most accessible sports. Many of these issues stem from the lack of opportunities to provide pathways for aspiring young stars to achieve their dreams and goals of playing the sport professionally.

That’s where Vancouver FC and the Canadian Premier League (CPL) steps in. The creation of Canada’s top domestic flight not only (but most importantly) created professional opportunities for Canadian talent, it also helped to place Canada on the global soccer map through co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Connecting Canada to the global soccer landscape is the grand scheme of things but Vancouver in particular aims to unite all reaches of soccer in B.C. from the youngest youth teams all the way up to the first team. One of the many ways Vancouver is achieving this goal is by connecting with local youth organizations with the hopes of inspiring the next generation through club visits, club nights at VFC matches, and collaboratively bringing more people closer to the professional game.

Vancouver’s upcoming match on Sunday, June 23rd against Halifax Wanderers FC is slatted to be North Vancouver FC’s club night, with Vancouver having many connections to the city. Most notably is James Cameron who signed with the Eagles out of open trials back in January of 2023. 

Professional soccer was always a dream of Cameron’s but was also something that he did not know would be possible. It was because of the opportunity that Vancouver provided that the former North Vancouver FC player was able to trust the process and climb the ladder, ultimately signing his first professional contract with the Eagles just a few months into the club’s inaugural season. Now, Cameron is in Chile representing Canada at the U-20 level in a series of international friendlies; a feat that would have been significantly more difficult to achieve without the platform that VFC was able to provide Cameron.

Cameron is an example of what is possible when representation and opportunities are afforded to passionate, aspiring young talent. So far, VFC has seemed to double down on the process they trusted with Cameron in the signing of fellow North Vancouver FC alumni Joey Buchanan to a development contract earlier this year. The native of Squamish is also a product of VFC’s open trials and, although the 17-year-old has yet to make his professional debut, he is gaining valuable first-team experience which might not have been possible otherwise.

Every young soccer player’s journey starts at the youth levels and North Vancouver FC is just one of those youth clubs that Vancouver is excited to connect with to help grow the game that is beloved by so many in Canada. The fact that this year’s squad is composed of 13 B.C.-born players means that the Eagles can only grow in their relationships with the communities that lift them up. It is through this mutual support that the ‘Beautiful Game’ can flourish in Canada.

You can get tickets to NVFC’s club night as VFC take on HFX Wanderers this Sunday at 4pm from Willoughby Community Park in Langley.