Ricci’s new agreement with the Eagles is guaranteed through the end of the 2024 season.
In addition, the club has transferred midfielder Kembo Kibato to the Nine Stripes. The native of North York, Ont., will return to his hometown after he made 10 appearances in all competitions for the Eagles since signing his first professional contract in Canada with VFC this past February.
“On behalf of the entire VFC family, I want to thank Kembo for his effort, contributions, and professionalism this season and wish him all the success in his future endeavors,” said Afshin Ghotbi, Head Coach, Vancouver FC.
“We are excited to bring Austin Ricci to our selection for our final push towards the playoffs,” continued Ghotbi. “Timing is a key factor in the football world and we were able to secure the right pieces with Sellouf and now Ricci heading into this last drive for postseason action.”
Ricci, 28, joins Vancouver FC as a veteran of the Canadian Premier League (CPL), with 84 appearances in all competitions for CPL clubs since 2019. He most recently represented York, where he made 16 appearances in league play and one appearance in the Canadian Championship in 2024, scoring four goals and adding one assist.
Ricci’s signing was executed prior to the CPL’s Roster Freeze Deadline on Friday, Sept. 13 at 5 p.m. ET. CPL clubs are no longer able to sign additional players to their master rosters through the 2024 CPL Final, except in the case of extreme hardship, as approved by the League. VFC may still release players after today’s roster freeze. More information on the CPL’s roster rules and regulations can be found here.
“We are very confident in the squad that we have heading into the final few months of the season,” continued Ghotbi. “We’ve always believed through our collective efforts that we can earn a playoff berth this year and I know we have what it takes to challenge and succeed against the best in the CPL.”
Ricci, a native of Richmond Hill, Ont., signed his first professional contract with York United ahead of the league’s inaugural season in 2019. He went on to make 11 overall appearances for the side in his debut season, logging one assist. After signing with Valour FC in July 2020, Ricci made 24 appearances for the Winnipeg-based club over two seasons. His most fruitful year in front of the net came in 2021, when he scored eight goals in all competitions, though his season ended prematurely after suffered an ACL tear that required surgery.
He returned to the Nine Stripes in April 2022 but would suffer a second ACL injury that limited him to just four games that season. After his return to play in 2023, Ricci made 45 appearances in all competitions for the York, scoring eight goals and adding three assists.
“Austin’s veteran experience, quality, and sharpness in the danger area will give us the edge in the final league fixtures and playoff contention,” said Ghotbi.
Prior to his career in the CPL, Ricci represented League1 Ontario’s Vaughan Azzurri and Premier Development League side Michigan Bucks. From 2014 to 2017, Ricci attended Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan and was a crucial part of the Golden Grizzlies Men’s Soccer program.
Fans can still catch these players in action for two more regular season home matches at Willoughby Park. VFC will first take on Forge FC on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 3 p.m. PT for the club’s Back to School match before hosting a Fan Appreciation match on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. for the final regular season home game of 2024. Tickets to both of those matches can be purchased online here.
Vancouver FC roster as of Roster Freeze Deadline (Sept. 13, 2024 at 1 p.m. PT):
Goalkeepers: Giantsopoulos, Niko; Irving, Callum;
Defenders: Bah, Elage; Campagna, Matteo; Chung, Kadin; Enyou, Allan; Gee, Paris; Romeo, Rocco; White, Anthony.
Midfielders: Buchanan, Joey*; Cameron, James**; Cantave, Mikaël; Crawford, Tyler; Garcia, Renan; Fisk, Ben; Fry, Vasco; McDonnell, Grady; Norman, David; Rommens, Olivier; Tahid, Taryck ‘TJ’**; Verhoven, Zachary.
Forwards: Bitar, Gabriel; Dzikowski, Sebastian***; Díaz, Alejandro ‘Wero’; Navarro, José; Sellouf, Ayman; Ricci, Austin.
Out on-loan: Moses Dyer (Pacific FC)
*Development Contract
**Exceptional Young Talent Contract
***U Sports Contact
