Soccer-Vancouver awarded Canadian Premier League franchise

The as yet unnamed team will begin play in the 2023. "Expanding into a great sports city like Vancouver is exciting,” said CPL commissioner David Clanachan in a statement.

The Canadian Premier League (CPL) grew to nine teams on Wednesday when Vancouver was awarded an expansion franchise with commissioner David Clanachan saying that there will be more to come. The as yet unnamed team will begin play in the 2023.

"Expanding into a great sports city like Vancouver is exciting," said CPL commissioner David Clanachan in a statement. "We look forward to working with SixFive to continue to grow professional soccer in Canada and create a solid foundation that will be the pathway for players to develop and showcase their skills in front of passionate supporters." The CPL began operations in 2019 with seven clubs and even then Clanachan made no effort to hide ambitious plans to grow the league.

Last year Atletico Ottawa came on board and Clanachan noted on Wednesday that several communities are looking to get in on the action with Saskatoon and Peterborough as possible additions but gave no time line. "We will continue to expand the league, we have a big country, good size population," said Clanachan. "We've just started to scratch the surface.

"We're probably at this point and time still looking at a potential of four-to-six clubs that are talking to us right now. "I think there are tonnes of opportunity out there."

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