 | ||||
| Nicknames | Blue-and-White[1] The Village[2] Caps | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | December 11, 1973; 51 years ago (1973-12-11)[nb 1] | |||
| Stadium | BC Place,Vancouver | |||
| Capacity | 54,313[4][nb 2] | |||
| Owners |
| |||
| Chairman | Jeff Mallett | |||
| Sporting director | Axel Schuster | |||
| Coach | Jesper Sørensen | |||
| League | Major League Soccer | |||
| 2025 | Western Conference: 2nd Overall: 5th Playoffs: TBD | |||
| Website | whitecapsfc.com | |||
 Current season | ||||
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||
Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club is a Canadian professionalsoccer club based inVancouver. The Whitecaps compete inMajor League Soccer (MLS) as a member of theWestern Conference. The club was founded on December 11, 1973 by Denny Veitch and Herb Capozzi, and played their first season in 1974 as a member of the NASL. The MLS iteration of the club was established on March 18, 2009, and began play in 2011 as the 17th team to enter Major League Soccer while replacing theUSSF Division 2team of the same name in the city, making them aphoenix club and the third to carry theWhitecaps name since 1974. The club has been owned and managed by the same group since they were a second-division franchise.
In the 2012 season, the team became the first Canadian team to qualify for theMLS Cup playoffs. The Whitecaps have won fiveCanadian Championships and have advanced to theCONCACAF Champions Cup final once, losing toCruz Azul in2025. Vancouver competes against longtime Pacific Northwest rivalsSeattle andPortland in theCascadia Cup, a fan-created trophy awarded based on MLS regular season results.
In 2025, the Whitecaps attracted international attention for the signing of German superstar and2014 World Cup winnerThomas Müller on a free transfer. Other notable Whitecaps players include former American internationalJay DeMerit, the club's first player and captain;Camilo Sanvezzo, the 2013MLS Golden Boot winner; and currentCanadian men's national team captainAlphonso Davies, ahomegrown player.
An ownership group in Vancouver were granted the seventeenth Major League Soccer franchise on March 18, 2009, by MLS commissionerDon Garber.[5]While no name was provided at the Vancouver announcement, over a year later the club confirmed it would keep the Whitecaps name, which had been first used in 1974.[6][7][8][9] The team sold the first 5,000 season ticket deposits 48 hours after they became available to the public. Remaining season tickets were made available to season ticket holders for the USSF 2 Whitecaps before becoming available to non-season ticket holders.[10]
In preparation for its first MLS season, the Whitecaps brought in executive talent from around the world. On November 24, 2009,Paul Barber, formerTottenham Hotspur executive, was announced to join the club as CEO. Others joining him included formerD.C. United head coachTom Soehn as Director of Operations and Dutch national Richard Grootscholten as the Technical Director and head coach of the residency program.[citation needed]
As the head coach of theUSL and laterUSSF Division 2Vancouver Whitecaps, formerIceland internationalTeitur Thordarson was confirmed as head coach on September 2, 2010, for the inaugural MLS season.[11] He was subsequently relieved of his duties on May 30, 2011, after the Whitecaps won just one of their first twelve matches.Tom Soehn, the Whitecaps director of soccer operations, replaced Thordarson on an interim basis.[12]
The Whitecaps began playing in the2011 MLS season with their first match on March 19, 2011, against rival CanadiansToronto FC, which they won 4–2. The first goal in the Whitecaps' MLS era was scored byEric Hassli.[13] After their winning start the Whitecaps struggled, and failed to secure another victory in their next 11 MLS games, drawing six and losing five. In the aftermath of their 1–1 draw with theNew York Red Bulls on May 30 head coach Teitur Thordarson was fired.[14]Tom Soehn took over coaching duties for the remainder of the 2011 season, whileMartin Rennie was announced as the new permanent head coach on August 9, taking over officially on November 2.[15] The team managed to attract 15,500 season ticket holders in its first MLS season and 13,000 for the second.[16]
On March 3, 2012, the Whitecaps won their first minor, pre-season cup at the2012 Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic defeating Toronto FC 1–0 thanks to a goal byCamilo Sanvezzo. The Whitecaps finished the regular season with 11 wins, 3 losses, and 10 ties positioning the club, fifth in the Western Conference and 11th on the league overall table. On October 21, 2012, the Whitecaps became the first Canadian team to earn a spot in the MLS playoffs.[17] Vancouver were eliminated in the knockout round.
In the 2013 season, Vancouver finished in seventh in the Western Conference, 13th in the league table with 13 wins, 12 losses, and 9 ties in the regular season. They were not able to qualify for the post season, in the playoffs as they had accomplished in the season prior. Two days after the end of the 2013 MLS regular season, Rennie's contract was not renewed sparking a search for the next head coach.[18] In their off-season, the Whitecaps were in the midst of controversy with one of their then players, Camilo, who had played for the team since their inaugural campaign, after the Brazilian went on to join Liga MX clubQuerétaro. The Mexican club believed that he was no longer under contract, while the Whitecaps reported that he was still on a contract with Vancouver.[19] The scandal was resolved with the Liga MX club paying a transfer fee from Vancouver to acquire the Brazilian forward.[20]
In October 2014, the Whitecaps qualified for the 2015–16CONCACAF Champions League for the first time as a result of becoming the highest ranked Canadian team in the 2014 MLS season and due to a reformatting of theCanadian Championship in the following season. A week later they qualified for the MLS playoffs for the second time, an achievement unmatched by any Canadian team.[21]
In 2015, the Whitecaps would go on to have their best-ever regular season, finishing the season with 53 points. They also went on to win theCanadian Championship for thefirst time, defeating Montreal 2–0 in the second leg to win the final 4–2 on aggregate. In the2015 MLS Cup Playoffs and2014–15 CONCACAF Champions League, however, they did not achieve the same success, getting eliminated in the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League and the conference semi-final of the playoffs.
In 2016, the Whitecaps took a step back, finishing the regular season with 39 points. In the2016 Canadian Championship, they reached the final, but lost 2–2 on away goals toToronto FC. They did go on to win theCascadia Cup on the final day of the regular season, beating thePortland Timbers 4–1.
During the year of 2017, there were major improvement for the Whitecaps, as they made theCONCACAF Champions League semi-finals for thefirst time, but were eliminated byTigres UANL. They finished the regular season with 52 points, making the playoffs for the fourth time in their history. However, despite recording their first-ever playoff win against theSan Jose Earthquakes in the knockout round, they were eliminated bySeattle Sounders FC in the conference semi-final.
In 2018, the Whitecaps would record the fourth-worst defensive record of the season, conceding 67 goals. As a result of poor form in the regular season, coachCarl Robinson was relieved of his duties on September 25, 2018. He was replaced by interimCraig Dalrymple for the remainder of the regular season. The Whitecaps finished the season with 47 points and would miss the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
2019 saw a new-look squad for the Whitecaps, as key players likeAlphonso Davies,Kendall Waston,Kei Kamara, andCristian Techera had all departed following the 2018 season. The team would also appoint a new manager prior to the season, namingMarc Dos Santos to take the club forward. However, they would once again go on to miss the playoffs, finishing the season last place in the Western Conference. They were also eliminated byCavalry FC in the2019 Canadian Championship, becoming the first MLS team to get eliminated by aCanadian Premier League side in Canadian Championship history.
2020 was the club's 10th season in Major League Soccer. However, on March 12, 2020, after only two games played, Major League Soccer suspended their season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Whitecaps' season resumed on July 15, 2020, when they played theSan Jose Earthquakes in their first match of theMLS is Back Tournament. Despite losses to theSan Jose Earthquakes andSeattle Sounders FC, a 2–0 win against theChicago Fire was enough for the team to qualify to the round of 16. However, the Whitecaps would ultimately lose toSporting Kansas City 3–1 on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes. From August 18 to September 16, 2020, the Whitecaps would play six matches against fellow Canadian MLS teamsToronto FC andMontreal Impact, that would serve as both regular season matches as well as qualifiers for the2020 Canadian Championship. The Whitecaps would not qualify for the Canadian Championship, finishing at the bottom of the qualification table with only 6 points from 6 games. From September 19, 2020, until the end of the season, the Whitecaps would play the rest of their home matches atProvidence Park inPortland, Oregon. They would finish the season with 27 points from 23 matches played, missing the playoffs for the third season in a row.
2021 saw much greater success for the Whitecaps. The season did not start off well initially, with head coach Marc Dos Santos being relieved of his duties on August 27, 2021, as a result of his team sitting below the playoff line after 20 games, as well as once again getting eliminated byPacific FC in the2021 Canadian Championship. However, under interim head coachVanni Sartini, the team would go unbeaten in 12 of their last 14 games to finish the season, making the playoffs for the first time in four years. In the playoffs, the Whitecaps were eliminated in the first round bySporting Kansas City, losing by a scoreline of 3–1. On November 30, 2021, Sartini was named as the club's new head coach.
In 2022, the Whitecaps would go on to have mixed success. They missed the playoffs for the fourth time in five years, finishing the season with 43 points. However, they won the2022 Canadian Championship, beating Toronto FC 5–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw following regulation and extra time. It was the first time that the Whitecaps won theCanadian Championship since their first victory in2015. The Canadian Championship victory also meant that the Whitecaps would qualify for the2023 CONCACAF Champions League.
In the2023 CONCACAF Champions League, the Whitecaps defeatedReal C.D. España to advance to the quarterfinals, but were ultimately eliminated byLos Angeles FC. In theregular season, the team would finish with 48 points, qualifying for the playoffs. They were once again eliminated byLos Angeles FC, in a two-game sweep. In the2023 Leagues Cup, their inaugural appearance in the competition, the Whitecaps advanced to the Round of 32, but were eliminated byTigres UANL. For the second consecutive season, the Whitecaps won the Canadian Championship for thethird time, beatingCF Montréal 2–1 in the final. As a result, they qualified for the2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
The2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup saw the Whitecaps faceTigres UANL, a team that the Whitecaps previously lost to 4–1 on aggregate in the2016–17 edition. The Whitecaps would once again get eliminated by theLiga MX side, by the same 4–1 aggregate scoreline. In theregular season, the team finished with 47 points, qualifying for thewild-card round of the playoffs where they defeated thePortland Timbers in their wild-card match 5–0. In a Round 1 rematch withLos Angeles FC, the Whitecaps were again eliminated, this time in three games. In the2024 Leagues Cup, the Whitecaps advanced to the Round of 32 before being eliminated byPumas UNAM. The Whitecaps won their third consecutive Canadian Championship, winning the2024 Canadian Championship by defeating Toronto FC 4–2 on penalties after a scoreless draw, qualifying them for the2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
The club began the2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup with a 3-2 aggregate win over Costa Rican sideSaprissa. Later on in the Round of 16, the club relied onaway goals to eliminateCF Monterrey (3-3 agg.) lead by Sergio Ramos. They used away goals again to defeatUNAM (3-3 agg.) after a late equalizer byTristan Blackmon. They then played MLS Supporters Shield holdersInter Miami CF, a star-studded side lead byLionel Messi. The Whitecaps won 5-1 on aggregate, pushing them through to a first-everChampions Cup final. The Whitecaps traveled to Mexico City and lost 5-0 toCruz Azul in the match.
The2025 Canadian Championship Final was held on October 1, 2025, at BC Place in Vancouver, where Vancouver Whitecaps FC defeatedVancouver FC 4–2 to claim their fourth consecutive Voyageurs Cup, the longest championship streak in the tournament's modern era. MidfielderAli Ahmed was named tournament MVP after scoring twice in the final, whileThomas Müller added a goal and an assist, marking the 300th goal of his career and the 35th trophy of his career, making him the most decorated German footballer of all time. Team captainRyan Gauld, returning from a seven-month injury absence, sealed the victory with the Whitecaps' fourth goal. Despite goals fromThierno Bah andNicolás Mezquida for Vancouver FC, the Whitecaps dominated possession and outshot their Canadian Premier League opponents 20–4.[22]
On June 8, 2010, it was officially announced the club would continue using the "Whitecaps" name, but with a redesigned logo.[23] The name alludes to the geographic features surrounding the city:snow-capped mountains to the north and the Pacific Ocean'swhite-capped waves to the west.
The official club colours include navy blue ("deep sea"), white, and light blue ("Whitecaps blue").[24] The "deep sea" blue represents the maritime landscape of the Vancouver area and the "Whitecaps blue" indicates the reflection of theNorth Shore Mountains in the Pacific Ocean. The lighter shade of blue also alludes to the primary colour of the original Whitecaps, winners ofSoccer Bowl 1979. The silver outline pays homage to the team's championship victories since 1974.[25]
On June 10, 2010, the Whitecapsstrip package was unveiled withBell Canada serving as the inaugural jersey sponsor.[26][27] The home shirt is white with horizontal, navy blue pinstripes; the stripes broaden slightly from bottom to top. The secondary shirt is deep blue with an embossed, interlocking diamond pattern which is also deep blue and is reflective in the light.
On June 14, 2012, the Whitecaps unveiled athird kit. The third kit is predominantly "arbutus brown", with sky blue accents, which reflects the unique land full of deep roots and the high-reaching arms of the temperate rainforests of British Columbia.[28]
In 2019 they used a redesigned version of their 1979 kit as a 40th anniversary tribute to the team winning the1979 NASL Soccer Bowl.[29][30]
In 2023, the club unveiled the Bloodlines Jersey, highlighting "[the] powerful thread that connects us all". This highlighted a partnership with Telus to support Canadian Blood Services, including active community figures and blood donors such as Joban Bal among others involved in Canadian blood donation efforts.[31][32]
In 2024, they released The 50 Jersey, on the club's 50th anniversary. This honoured the club's status as the longest running professional soccer club in Canada and the United States, creating a modern twist on the original crest during the inaugural season in 1974.[33]
Home, away, and third kits.
          2011–12 |     2013–14 |    2015–16 |      2017–18 |     2019–20 |     2021–22 |     2023–24 |     2025– |
     2011–13 |     2014–15 |      2016–17 |      2018–19 |     2020–21 |     2022–23 |      2024– |
     2012–2013 |     2025 |
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2011–2022 | Adidas | Bell |
| 2023–present | Telus |
The Whitecaps plays its home matches atBC Place inVancouver, which it shares with theBC Lions of theCanadian Football League.[34][35] The 54,500-seatmulti-purpose domed opened in 1983 and was designed for bothCanadian football and soccer. It underwent a major renovation between 2009 and 2011 to replace the roof with the world's largest cable-supportedretractable roof;[36] the renovation also included the installation of white sails (known as the "secondary roof") to close off the upper bowl and reduce capacity to around 22,120 for most Whitecaps matches.[37][38] BC Place's surface ispolytanartificial turf, which is certified byFIFA with a 2-star rating.[36][39] Club ownership initially hoped to buildWhitecaps Waterfront Stadium inGastown in time for the 2016 season, but the club has committed to BC Place in light of stadium opposition.[34]
The club played most of itsinaugural season atEmpire Field, a temporary stadium built at the former site ofEmpire Stadium to house the Whitecaps and the BC Lions while BC Place was being renovated.[40] Empire Field was a 27,500-seat multi-purpose stadium that featured FIFA 1-star ratedFieldTurf.[40] The team played its final match at Empire Field on September 24, 2011, a 3–1 loss toSeattle Sounders FC.[41] The following week, the Whitecaps played their first match at BC Place, a 1–0 loss toPortland Timbers on October 2, 2011.[42]
The club initially did not have a permanent training centre, opting instead to use facilities aroundGreater Vancouver.[43] The Whitecaps partnered with the Government of British Columbia and theUniversity of British Columbia (UBC) to build the $32.5 million National Soccer Development Centre on the UBC campus,[43] which opened on September 22, 2017.[44]
Near the end of the2020 and at the beginning of the2021 seasons, the club was forced to play their home matches in the United States due tothe Canadian government's response to limit cross-border travel during theCOVID-19 pandemic. The club shared facilities with Portland TimbersProvidence Park in Portland, Oregon where they played one of their rivalry matches as the home team.[45] In 2021, the club played most of their home matches atRio Tinto Stadium inSandy, Utah since the start of the season.[46]
In April 2025, it was announced that the Whitecaps and the City of Vancouver were having high level talks about building a new stadium at Hastings Park.[47]
The largest Whitecaps supporters group is known as the Southsiders. The group began in 1999 when fans of the Vancouver 86ers began congregating in the pitch-levelbeer garden behind the goal at the south end ofSwangard Stadium.[48][49]
The Southsiders' relationship with the team's ownership has not always been amicable, but improved since the announcement of an MLS expansion team.[48] Images of the Southsiders are featured prominently in Whitecaps' marketing campaigns and the group's board was invited to the invite-only launch of the kits and logo to be used in MLS.[50][51] The expansion has also increased membership to over 1200 and 100 paid members by July 2010.[52][53] Southsider supporters were primarily located in the southeast corner (sections 249–254) of BC Place stadium; the majority of the group later relocated to the new general admission section at BC Place in half of section 253 and all of section 254 that was introduced for the 2020 MLS season.[citation needed]
The three biggest supporter groups are the Vancouver Southsiders, Curva Collective and the Rain City Brigade.[54] There are several sub-groups that have emerged, members of which are sometimes also members of the three larger groups. There are generally considered to be 6 separate Whitecaps supporters groups. Founded after the 2011 season, Curva Collective focuses on visual displays and was previously located in the southwest "curve" in sections 203 and 204 at BC Place.[55][56] Rain City Brigade was established in 2010, occupying part of Section 201 and marching on matchdays from Library Square.[57][better source needed]
The Whitecaps are also home to North America's first ever all youth supporter group, Vancouver Albion. They stand in section 254, and have become one of the 'Caps biggest groups with over 100 members. The Prawnsiders have existed since the Whitecaps' Swangard years, but organized formally at the beginning of the inaugural MLS season in 2011.[58] The name "Prawnsiders" comes from "prawn-sandwich brigade", a term often used to describe soccer supporters who sit in the more expensive seats.[58] They are primarily located in sections 244 and 245.[58] South Sisters provide a positive meeting space for Vancouver Whitecaps supporters who identify as female, LGBTQ2+, or allies. The group was officially formed in 2019.[59] Couch Ultras, named for their origins as a home-based group, organizes tifo displays at BC Place for the Whitecaps and Canadian national teams.[60][61]
In 2020, a new general admissions supporters section (named the Village Stand) was introduced in half of Section 253 and all of Section 254, adjacent to the tunnel where the players enter the pitch.[62] Membership in a supporters group is not required and seating is unassigned. The majority of the Vancouver Southsiders and Curva Collective are located here. Standing and chanting are permitted throughout the match in this' section.[62]
The official mascot for the Whitecaps is Spike, aBelted kingfisher, a bird common to the Vancouver area.[63]
The Vancouver Whitecaps have longstanding rivalries with both thePortland Timbers andSeattle Sounders FC. The rivalries predate MLS and have been an integral part of the soccer culture in thePacific Northwest. Matches between these three teams are arguably the most passionate in all ofMLS as each of these teams are well-supported by their respective cities.[64][65]
Portland Timbers
The Portland Timbers are one of the Whitecaps' biggest and longtime rivals, with an antagonistic history between the clubs going back to 1975 in the originalNorth American Soccer League.[66] In theA-League andUSL First Division Portland and Vancouver clashed in crucial, and often physical matches during the late 2000s, with the clubs facing each other in memorable playoff duels in 2007, 2009, and 2010.[67] The two clubs played for the 100th time in 2017, and the rivalry is one of the most-played in US soccer history.
Seattle Sounders FC
The rivalry with the Seattle Sounders FC trace back to the 1970sNorth American Soccer League and have endured through multiple league incarnations, including theUSL First Division andMLS since 2011. As of mid-2025, the teams have met over 160 times. Vancouver's most sustained winning run came in the early 1980s, while Seattle's longest unbeaten stretch occurred between 2017 and 2022.
The Vancouver Whitecaps also have rivalries withToronto FC and theCF Montreal. Vancouver's first game in MLS was against Toronto in an attempt by the league to spur a rivalry between the two Canadian teams.[68] Montreal was a rival in the second division. The three teams have played each other duringVoyageurs Cup competitions.[69][70]
All Whitecaps matches are broadcast on television and radio. Through the 2013 season,Sportsnet Pacific andSportsnet One nationally broadcast all "regional" Whitecaps games not televised byTSN orTSN2 as part of its national package of MLS games, broadcasting 24 games per season.[71] Regional matches were called by Craig MacEwen, who doesplay-by-play, and former Vancouver 86ers goalkeeperPaul Dolan, who providescolour commentary.[72] Dolan replaced former Vancouver Whitecaps midfielderMartin Nash, who provided colour commentary during the Whitecaps FC inaugural season.[73][74][75] In January 2014, TSN (which is owned byBell Media, a subsidiary of the Whitecaps' founding sponsorBell Canada) announced that it would take over broadcast rights to these "regional" Whitecaps games beginning in the2014 Major League Soccer season. In 2014, selected games aired onCIVT-DT andCIVI-DT due to scheduling conflicts.[76][77] As of 2021, TSN streams all 34 regular season games, with playoff games if qualified. The current broadcasting team featuresBlake Price doing play-by-play, and Dolan as colour commentator, after Peter Schaad was relieved of his play-by-play duty in April 2021.[78][79] Since 2023, the only regional broadcast is CKGO-AM, as TSN will only carry selected Whitecaps matches due to the new worldwide MLS broadcast deal with Apple TV.
On radio, Whitecaps games are primarily broadcast onCKNW.com with Asa Rehman[80] andColin Miller.[81] Until the end of the 2016 season, matches broadcast on radio had play-by-play duties shared between Schaad and Scott Rintoul, and by former Vancouver Whitecaps midfielderDavid Norman, who provides colour commentary.[82][83][84][85] Norman replaced Paul Dolan prior to the 2012 MLS season, after Dolan joined the Sportsnet broadcasting team.[86][83]
Vancouver Whitecaps FC is owned by a group of four investors: Greg Kerfoot,Steve Luczo,Jeff Mallett, andSteve Nash.[87] The group has a collectivenet worth over $2 billion.[88] Kerfoot has been the majority owner of the Whitecaps since 2002, when he saved the club from contraction after previous owner David Stadnyk left the club, selling it toUnited Soccer Leagues.[87][88][89] Mallett, a formerchief operating officer (COO) ofYahoo!, was raised inVictoria, British Columbia, and played for several collegiate soccer teams.[87] He later purchased minority stakes in theSan Francisco Giants ofMajor League Baseball and English soccer clubDerby County F.C.[87] Having first met at a charity soccer event in 2005, Mallett partnered with Steve Nash—a two-timeNational Basketball Association (NBA)Most Valuable Player who was also raised in Victoria—to put together a bid for a minority share of English soccer clubTottenham Hotspur F.C. in 2008.[87] After that transaction fell through, the duo contacted Kerfoot about a minority stake in the club.[87] Nash is the older brother of former Whitecaps midfielderMartin Nash.[89] The fourth partner, Steve Luczo, is the president, chairman, and CEO ofSeagate Technology and a partner inBoston Basketball Partners L.L.C., a group who own the NBABoston Celtics.[87] Luczo met Kerfoot while the two were both employed by Seagate Technology, and Kerfoot contacted Luczo proposing he become part of the club's MLS bid.[90] In 2009, the group paid a $35 million expansion fee to MLS for the right to join the league.[87] As of 2023, the club is valued at $410 million byForbes.[91]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
| Role | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Jesper Sørensen |  Denmark |
| Assistant coach | Brendan Shaw |  Ireland |
| Assistant coach | Michael D'Agostino |  Canada |
| Goalkeeper coach | Youssef Dahha |  Morocco |
| First team video analyst | Drew Foster | Canada |
| First team assistant video analyst | James Grieve |  Scotland |
| Head of Physical Preparation | Jonathan Poli | Canada |
| Manager of Sport Analytics | Bryce Chevallier | Canada |
| Team Physician | Dr. Jim Bovard | Canada |
| Role | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer & Sporting Director | Axel Schuster |  Germany |
| Chief Administrative Officer | Manav Deol | Canada |
| Chief Commercial Officer | Aditi Bhatt |  United States |
| Chief Financial Officer | Lisa Abbate | Canada |
| Technical Director | Quinn Thompson | Canada |
| Years | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2010 – May 30, 2011 | Teitur Thordarson |  Iceland |
| May 30, 2011 – October 25, 2011 | Tom Soehn (interim) | United States |
| October 26, 2011 – October 29, 2013 | Martin Rennie[93] | Scotland |
| December 16, 2013 – September 25, 2018 | Carl Robinson |  Wales |
| September 25, 2018 – November 7, 2018 | Craig Dalrymple (interim) |  England |
| November 7, 2018 – August 27, 2021 | Marc Dos Santos | Canada |
| August 27, 2021 – November 30, 2021 | Vanni Sartini (interim) |  Italy |
| November 30, 2021 – November 26, 2024 | Vanni Sartini | Italy |
| Years | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| 2011–2014 | Jay DeMerit |  United States |
| 2014–2016 | Pedro Morales |  Chile |
| 2016–2017 | David Ousted | Denmark |
| 2017–2018 | Kendall Waston |  Costa Rica |
| 2019 | Jon Erice |  Spain |
| 2020–2023 | Russell Teibert | Canada |
| 2024– | Ryan Gauld | Scotland |
Whitecaps FC 2 is the club's reserve team that began playing in the newly establishedMLS Next Pro league in 2022.[94]
The team previously played in theUnited Soccer League from 2015 to 2017 until the team was temporarily disbanded in favour of a partnership with 2018 USL expansion clubFresno FC.[95]
Vancouver Rise FC is a women's club that competes in theNorthern Super League, the top flight of theCanadian women's soccer league system. The Rise were one of the first two clubs to join the Northern Super League, and are a spiritual successor to the Whitecaps'former women's team. The club was co-developed with the league itself, in an effort to retain female players from the Whitecaps'academy team, and provide equity between the organization's men's and women's programs.
Whitecaps FC Academy, formerly known as the Whitecaps Residency program,[96] is theyouth academy and development system of Vancouver Whitecaps FC that was established in 2007. The academy fields men's and women's teams inLeague1 British Columbia, which commenced in 2022.[97][98]
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (women)
The Whitecaps organization owned and operated a women's team in theUSL W-League from 2001 to 2012 that played at Swangard Stadium.[99] Originally named the Vancouver Breakers, the club was renamed the Whitecaps in 2003 under the ownership of Greg Kerfoot.[100][101] The team won the W-League championship twice (in 2004 and 2006) and finished as runners-up in 2010.[99] In its place, the Whitecaps launched anEXCEL youth development program for girls in partnership with B.C. Soccer and Canada Soccer.[102]
In 2019, several former Whitecaps Women players published allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct from coaches at the club.[103] The claims centered around behaviour by head coachBob Birarda, who was fired in 2008 after an internal investigation, andHubert Busby Jr., who coached the team from 2011 to 2012.[104] Several supporters groups for the men's team organized protests and walk-outs during matches in April and May 2019 in support of an independent investigation into the allegations.[105][106] At one protest in May, they were joined by visiting Portland Timbers fans.[107]
In late 2021, MLS announced an independent investigation and review into the conduct of both coaches as well as the Whitecaps organization.[104][108] The investigation found that the Whitecaps' response "was appropriate" and "adhered to all of the [internal] investigator's recommendations".[108][109] A parallel investigation into Canada Soccer's actions found that the allegations of Birarda's behaviour with the under-20 team were "mishandled" by CSA.[110]
Fresno FC
In November 2017, Vancouver Whitecaps FC entered into an officialUSL affiliation agreement withFresno FC, a newly established USL expansion team set to begin play in the 2018 season.
The partnership between Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Fresno FC effectively ended when Fresno FC ceased operations on October 29, 2019.
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Whitecaps. For the full season-by-season history, seeList of Vancouver Whitecaps FC seasons. For a historical list encompassing results from the previous two incarnations of the club, seeHistory of Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
| Season | League | Position | Playoffs | CC | Continental | Other | Average attendance | Top goalscorer(s) | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Div | League | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Conf. | Overall | CCL | LC | Name(s) | Goals | ||||||
| 2020 | 1 | MLS | 23 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 27 | 44 | –17 | 27 | 1.17 | 9th | 17th | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | NH | MLS is Back Tournament | Ro16 | 22,120[a] | Lucas Cavallini | 6 |
| 2021 | MLS | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 45 | 45 | 0 | 49 | 1.44 | 6th | 12th | R1 | R1 | DNQ | DNE/DNQ | 12,492[b] |  Cristian DájomeBrian White | 12 | |||
| 2022 | MLS | 34 | 12 | 15 | 7 | 40 | 57 | –17 | 43 | 1.26 | 9th | 17th | DNQ | W | DNE | 18,643 | Lucas Cavallini | 9 | ||||
| 2023 | MLS | 34 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 55 | 48 | +7 | 48 | 1.41 | 6th | 13th | R1 | W | QF | Ro32 | 16,745 | Brian White | 19 | |||
| 2024 | MLS | 34 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 52 | 49 | +3 | 47 | 1.38 | 8th | 14th | R1 | W | R1 | Ro32 | 26,121 | Brian White | 15 | |||
^ 1.Avg. attendance include statistics from league matches only.
^ 2.Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in League,MLS Cup Playoffs,Canadian Championship,MLS is Back Tournament,CONCACAF Champions League,FIFA Club World Cup, and other competitive continental matches.
Vancouver has qualified for theCONCACAF Champions Cup four times, the first in the 2015–16 edition of the tournament.
| Season | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Group stage | Seattle Sounders FC | 1–1 | 0–3 | 3rd[c 1] |
 Olimpia | 1–0 | 0–1 | |||
| 2016–17 | Group stage |  Central F.C. | 4–1 | 1–0 | 1st[c 1] |
| Sporting Kansas City | 3–0 | 2–1 | |||
| Quarterfinals | New York Red Bulls | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | |
| Semifinals |  UANL | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | |
| 2023 | Round of 16 | Real España | 5–0 | 2–3 | 7–3 |
| Quarter-finals | Los Angeles FC | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–6 | |
| 2024 | Round one | UANL | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–4 |
| 2025 | Round one | Saprissa | 1–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| Round of 16 | C.F. Monterrey | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–3[c 2] | |
| Quarter-finals | UNAM | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–3[c 2] | |
| Semi-finals | Inter Miami CF | 2–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | |
| Final | Cruz Azul | — | 0–5 | 0–5 |
| CONCACAF Champions Cup history | |
|---|---|
| First match | Whitecaps FC 1–1Seattle Sounders FC (August 5, 2015;Vancouver, Canada) |
| Biggest win | Whitecaps FC 5–0Real España (March 8, 2023;Vancouver, Canada) |
| Biggest defeats | Seattle Sounders FC 3–0 Whitecaps FC (September 23, 2015;Seattle, United States) Whitecaps FC 0–3Los Angeles FC(April 5, 2023;Vancouver, Canada) Los Angeles FC 3–0 Whitecaps FC(April 11, 2023;Los Angeles, United States) UANL 3–0 Whitecaps FC(February 14, 2024;San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico) |
| Best result | Runners-up in2025 |
| Worst result | Group stage (3rd in group) in2015–16 |
Manchester City – 1–2| Year | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 |  Camilo | 12 |
| 2012 |  Darren Mattocks | 7 |
| 2013 | Camilo | 22 |
| 2014 | Pedro Morales | 10 |
| 2015 |  Octavio Rivero | 10 |
| 2016 | Pedro Morales | 9 |
| 2017 | Fredy Montero | 13 |
| 2018 |  Kei Kamara | 14 |
| 2019 | Fredy Montero | 8 |
| 2020 | Lucas Cavallini | 6 |
| 2021 | Brian White | 12 |
| 2022 | Lucas Cavallini | 9 |
| 2023 | Brian White | 15 |
| 2024 | Brian White | 15 |
Note: Only MLS regular season goals counted
| Rank | Pos. | Player | Nation | Career | MLS | Playoffs | CC | CCL | LC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midfielder | Russell Teibert | Canada | 2011–23 | 254 | 2 | 32 | 10 | 2 | 300 |
| 2 | Defender | Jordan Harvey | United States | 2011–17 | 179 | 4 | 12 | 4 | – | 199 |
| 3 | Defender | Jake Nerwinski | United States | 2017–23 | 140 | 4 | 11 | 2 | – | 157 |
| 4 | Defender | Ranko Veselinović |  Serbia | 2020– | 133 | 2 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 155 |
| 5 | Midfielder | Gershon Koffie |  Ghana | 2011–15 | 133 | 4 | 13 | 1 | – | 151 |
| Goalkeeper | David Ousted | Denmark | 2013–17 | 142 | 3 | 2 | 4 | – | 151 | |
| 7 | Midfielder | Ryan Raposo | Canada | 2020–24 | 117 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 140 |
| 8 | Defender | Kendall Waston | Costa Rica | 2014–18 | 115 | 6 | 8 | 8 | – | 137 |
| 9 | Midfielder | Matías Laba |  Argentina | 2014–17 | 113 | 3 | 6 | 7 | – | 129 |
| 10 | Midfielder | Ryan Gauld | Scotland | 2021– | 104 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 126 |
| Rank | Pos. | Player | Nation | Career | MLS | Playoffs | CC | CCL | LC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forward | Brian White | United States | 2021– | 42 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 50 |
| 2 | Forward | Camilo | Brazil | 2011–13 | 39 | – | 4 | – | – | 43 |
| 3 | Midfielder | Ryan Gauld | Scotland | 2021– | 32 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
| 4 | Midfielder | Pedro Morales | Chile | 2014–16 | 25 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | 29 |
| Midfielder | Cristian Techera | Uruguay | 2015–18 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 5 | – | 29 | |
| 6 | Forward | Fredy Montero | Colombia | 2017, 2019–20 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 1 | – | 28 |
| 7 | Forward | Kekuta Manneh |  Gambia | 2013–17 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | 24 |
| 8 | Forward | Darren Mattocks | Jamaica | 2012–15 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | 22 |
| 9 | Forward | Yordy Reyna |  Peru | 2017–20 | 20 | 0 | 1 | – | – | 21 |
| 10 | Forward | Lucas Cavallini | Canada | 2020–2022 | 18 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 18 |
| Year | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Camilo | Brazil |
| 2012 | Lee Young-Pyo |  South Korea |
| 2013 | Camilo | Brazil |
| 2014 | Pedro Morales | Chile |
| 2015 | Kendall Waston | Costa Rica |
| 2016 | Jordan Harvey | United States |
| 2017 | Kendall Waston | Costa Rica |
| 2018 | Alphonso Davies | Canada |
| 2019 | Maxime Crépeau | Canada |
| 2020 | Ali Adnan |  Iraq |
| 2021 | Maxime Crépeau | Canada |
| 2022 | Ryan Gauld | Scotland |
| 2023 | Ryan Gauld | Scotland |
| 2024 | Ryan Gauld | Scotland |
The official club colours include navy blue ("deep sea"), white, and light blue ("Whitecaps blue").
And to create a more intimate and electric atmosphere, a flexible draping system is being considered that will reduce the seating capacity to 22,000.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
.svg)