January 18, 2024 – Canadian Premier League (CPL) – Vancouver FC News Release
Langley, BC – Vancouver FC will open its second season at Willoughby Community Park on Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 4 p.m. PT against Valour FC, the club announced on Thursday.
The Eagles’ full regular season schedule, presented by WestJet, will be announced on Tuesday, January 23. Tickets to Vancouver’s 2024 home opener can be purchased through this link.
“I will speak for everyone at VFC that we cannot wait to step onto the field on Apr. 14 and begin our journey towards the CPL summit this season,” said Afshin Ghotbi, Head Coach, Vancouver FC. “We have assembled an exciting selection that’s bubbling with quality, experience and youth, and a perfect mixture of the local best and inspired international players.”
Vancouver’s 2024 season opener match will be the first game in franchise history played in April at Willoughby Park. VFC began its inaugural season in 2023 with a four-game road trip, which included the club’s lone Canadian Championship competition.
Vancouver’s season opener will also be a long-awaited homecoming for the Eagles’ new signing, East Vancouver native Ben Fisk, as well as a chance for fans to catch up-and-coming local talents such as Taryck ‘TJ’ Tahid, James Cameron, and the club’s most recent addition, Grady McDonnell. Thirteen familiar faces and fan favourites from VFC’s inaugural season will also be back in action starting on Apr. 14, including goalkeeper Callum Irving; defenders Kadin Chung, Rocco Romeo, Ibrahim Bakare, Tyler Crawford, and Anthony White; midfielders Elliot Simmons, Vasco Fry, and Renan Garcia; and forwards Alejandro ‘Wero’ Díaz, Mouhamadou ‘Mamadou’ Kane, Gabriel Bitar, and Mikaël Cantave.
Vancouver and Valour spent much of the 2023 season neck and neck in the CPL standing, but a strong finish to the season by the Eagles, who won four of their final six matches, saw them overtake Valour in the standings. Vancouver took five points from its four matches against Valour in 2023, including earning a victory in their last meeting, which saw ‘starboy’ Tahid notch his third goal of the season before heading the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. The match could see the return of Vancouver’s first-ever goal scorer, Shaan Hundal, to Willoughby Park. Hundal joined Valour as a free agent this off-season.
“We miss our fans and we look forward to seeing them in person at our home opener on Apr. 14,” said Ghotbi.
Tickets are on sale now for Vancouver’s home opener…
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