Vancouver Whitecaps

Full Name: Vancouver Whitecaps FC

City: Vancouver, BC

Founded: 2011 (1974)

Stadium: Empire Field (20,000)

Colors: Blue, White

Previous Name: Vancouver 86ers (1986-2000), Vancouver Whitecaps (2001-03), Whitecaps FC (2003-06)

Rivals: Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers, Toronto FC

Vancouver Whitecaps became the 2nd Canadian-based team in the mostly American Major League Soccer (MLS), joining the league for the 2011 season alongside Pacific Northwest rivals Portland Timbers. The Caps are named for both the snow-capped Rocky Mountains and the foam-capped waves of the Pacific Ocean, both of which are very near the city of Vancouver. They'll be looking to maintain a long tradition of soccer success in Vancouver, though it's come under several different names and several technically different clubs. The first two seasons of MLS soccer in Vancouver will take place at Empire Place before a move to the newly-renovated BC Place for the 2012 season.

Vancouver Whitecaps in the NASL

The first generation of Whitecaps debuted in the North American Soccer League (NASL) during the 1974 season. The crowing achievement of the Whitecaps was winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl, the league championship. In addition to their Soccer Bowl title the Whitecaps qualified for the playoffs 9 out of 11 years and played in the first-ever sporting event held at BC Place. That 1983 match against the Seattle Sounders still holds the record for the largest crowd ever to watch a club soccer game in Canada - 60,342.

The first version of the Whitecaps lasted through the 1984 season and folded at the same time the league did. Vancouver was one of the league's success stories though, averaging large crowds for most of their history (four seasons over 20,000) and surely would have survived if not for the collapse of the league.

Vancouver 86ers in the CSL

The city of Vancouver did not have to wait long for the return of professional soccer. The Canadian Soccer League (CSL) launched in 1987 with the Vancouver 86ers as one of the original teams. The 86ers name was taken from the year the club began (technically a year before the league play) and the year (1886) that Vancouver officially became a city.

The 86ers were also one of the CSL's success stories. Vancouver won 4 titles in the league's 6 years and were losing finalists another year. At one point the 89ers went 46 matches unbeaten, a North American professional sports record.

Vancouver 86ers/Whitecaps in the APSL

Vancouver soccer survived the 2nd league collapsing around them much better than the 1st time as the 86ers joined the American Professional Soccer League (APSL). This was the start of a near annual series of name changes for both and league. The APSL became the A-League, then the USISL A-League, USL A-League, USL First Division and finally the USSF Division 2. The team meanwhile went from Vancouver 86ers to Vancouver Whitecaps to Whitecaps FC to finally Vancouver Whitecaps FC from 2007.

The Whitecaps were two-time champions of the USL First Division, in 2006 and 2008, as well as being losing finalists in 2009. Incidentally the Vancouver Whitecaps women's team won a league title in 2006 and the Whitecaps thus became the first team to win men's and women's titles in the same season.

Canadian Championship

Since 2008 the Whitecaps have competed in the Canadian championship with Toronto FC, Montreal Impact (and from 2011 Edmonton FC). The winner of the Canadian Championship represents Canada in the CONCACAF Champions League. The Whitecaps have yet to win this all-Canada title.

Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS

The Whitecaps were announced as 2011 MLS expansion team in March 2009, joining the league alongside Northwest rivals Portland Timbers. The MLS version of the Whitecaps, while technically a brand-new club, maintains the same ownership, colors, backroom staff and several players from the previous versions

Empire Place:

Vancouver will play at least the 2011 and 2012 seasons at Empire Place (formerly Empire Stadium). It was the scene of the glory days of the NASL Whitecaps, and the home of the team for all but their final two seasons. While the Whitecaps play at Empire Place BC Place will be renovated. The plan is to replace the current permanent roof with a retractable one. Once completed (in time for the 2012 season if all goes well) the Whitecaps will share the stadium with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.

Previous Stadiums: Empire Stadium (1974-83), BC Place (1983-84), Swangard Stadium (1987-2010).

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Vancouver Whitecaps Titles:

League Titles:

NASL Soccer Bowl (1979)
Canadian Soccer League (1988, 89, 90, 91)
United Soccer Leagues First Division (2006, 08)

Rivals of the Vancouver Whitecaps:

The Whitecaps have a healthy rivalry with the other two major cities in the Pacific Northwest - Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers. The teams annually compete for the Cascadia Cup, which is awarded to the team with the best head-to-head record amongst the three.

The Whitecaps will also be playing for bragging rights in the first Canadian derby against Toronto FC. In 2012 that will become a 3-way rivalry as the Montreal Impact make the move up to MLS.