With less than one week until Vancouver FC’s home opener on Sunday, April 14th, the Eagles have announced the addition of yet another local talent to their squad with the signing of Matteo Campagna on Monday. The native of Surrey, B.C., could be with VFC for up to three years, agreeing to a one-year contract with club options for 2025 and 2026
“We are very excited to have another promising young local player who will add more depth and quality to our selection,” said Afshin Ghotbi, Vancouver FC’s head coach, about his latest addition.
Campagna shares a similar story to many of the other eleven B.C.-born players he now gets to call VFC teammates. He first started playing soccer with his local youth club, Surrey United SC, before he joined the Vancouver Whitecaps academy project in 2017. During his three seasons in the youth academy, Campagna was fortunate enough to experience in international competitions including the West Ham United Football Cup in 2018 and SportChain Cup in Rotterdam the following year.
Campagna’s time in the Whitecaps academy culminated in the young defender signing his first professional agreement, an MLS Homegrown Contract, with the Whitecaps senior team in 2021. However, Campagna would make his professional debut in the Canadian Premier League (CPL) in August 2021 while on loan with York United FC. He made three starts in five appearances for the Nine Stripes and registered 288 professional minutes.
“Matteo shows composure and comfort on the ball allowing him to play an important role in starting attacking sequences,” said Ghotbi.
Prior to joining Vancouver, Campagna spent the last two seasons representing Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) in MLS NEXT Pro, playing alongside current VFC athletes Vasco Fry and Elage Bah. Campagna became a staple player for WFC2, evident in him starting in all 13 of the team’s matches in 2023 and even scored his first professional goal in May of that same year.
Campagna has spent time with the Whitecaps senior team, both training and being named to game-day rosters since signing his Homegrown Contract in 2021. He earned 15 call ups and made one appearance as a second-half substitute in the ‘Caps’ Concacaf Champions League match against Real C.D. España in March 2023 where he registered three minutes playing under the bright lights at B.C. Place.
“I am very happy to sign with Vancouver FC,” said Campagna about joining his new team.“There is an amazing group of people here who are all super dedicated to this project and to our success.”
Campagna has also represented Canada at the under-15 and under-20 youth levels. He played in Concacaf Championships for both the Under-15 tournament in 2019, where he made appearances in all five matches, and for the Under-20 tournament in 2022.
“I am very excited to be a part of what is being built and I’m looking forward to getting this season started,” said Campagna.
In signing 19-year-old Campagna, Vancouver continues to demonstrate their commitment to providing young talent to gain professional opportunities under the guidance of skilled veterans. The defender becomes the seventh domestic under-21 player to represent the team for 2024, joining defenders Tyler Crawford, Anthony White, James Cameron, and Elage Bah; midfielder Grady McDonnell; and forward Taryck ‘TJ’ Tahid.
“We look forward to [Matteo’s] contributions and development in 2024,” said Ghotbi.
Fans don’t have to wait much longer before they get to see Vancouver’s newly composed team at Willoughby Community Park as the Eagles compete in the club’s second CPL season. All the action begins at 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 14 against Valour FC. Tickets to VFC’s home opener, and all of Vancouver’s home matches, can be purchased here.
