Football Season Guide

2025 was arguably the most memorable year in Vancouver Whitecaps’ history, but it was also a season of near misses. The club took a gamble by getting rid of the hugely popular Vanni Sartini who had led the Whitecaps to the play-offs three seasons in a row and achieved a threepeat of Canadian Championship titles during his tenure. Jesper Sørensen was a completely different character to the jovial, emotional and sometimes erratic Sartini. The Dane remained ice cold, composed and measured throughout the season, even when results or decisions went against the team. Sørensen’s steely determination translated to his players as the Caps reached three finals in 2025. The Canadian Championship was lifted for the fourth consecutive year, but they fell at the last hurdle in both the CONCACAF Champions Cup and MLS Cup finals. Failing to get over the line was the biggest frustration of 2025 for Vancouver. Despite having the best attack and defence in the Western Conference, they missed out on top spot at the end of the Regular Season too. If they can overcome that last mental obstacle in 2026, they could achieve something special. The squad is already in place and one of the strongest in the country. Other than Ali Ahmed, there have yet to be any significant losses in the transfer market. The Caps are well balanced in all areas of the pitch. Yohei Takaoka was named as one of the top 3 goalkeepers in MLS. Matias Laborda, Ranko Veselinović, Tristan Blackmon and Édier Ocampo made the Whitecaps the meanest defence in the west. Andres Cubas’ tenacity combined with Sebastian Berhalter’s technique makes them the perfect midfield pivot. Brian White remains one of the most prolific scorers in the league. What really took the club to the next level was the sprinkling of stardust that the legendary Thomas Müller brought when he made the shock move to Vancouver in August. The World Cup winner immediately showed that he hadn’t just come to Canada for a final payday as he bagged 8 goals and 2 assists in just 11 matches at the end of the season. Müller’s presence elevated the Whitecaps both on and off the pitch, with the club achieving global recognition. What made the Caps’ success in 2025 even more remarkable is that it mostly came without talismanic captain Ryan Gauld, who was injured for a large portion of the season. Unfortunately, the Scot has been forced to have another operation on his knee that will see him miss the start of the new campaign. Gauld’s latest injury was followed by the bombshell news that the Whitecaps could face the grim prospect of relocation and even extinction! The club has been up for sale since 2024 but potential buyers are reluctant to commit due to the terms of the lease with current home stadium BC Place. The Caps only receive a small percentage of their matchday revenue – lagging behind the other teams in MLS. A new one-year deal has been agreed with BC Place for this season, but it doesn’t solve the club’s long-term financial sustainability. The hope is that a deal can be struck to move to a new stadium in Vancouver or this could potentially be the Whitecaps' final season in the city!