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SEASON KICKOFF: Over 21,000 tickets have already been snapped up for the home opener versus Real Salt Lake on February 21
VANCOUVER, BC – The Whitecaps are returning to play. After an almost four-week preseason stint in Spain, Vancouver Whitecaps FC are poised to commence their 2026 season this week. Their inaugural game of the year is scheduled for Wednesday, February 18, within the Concacaf Champions Cup, pitting the Blue and White against Costa Rica’s C.S. Cartaginés in the First Leg of Round One. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. PT from Estadio Fello Meza in Cartago, Costa Rica. The ‘Caps will then host the Second Leg at BC Place on Wednesday, February 25, with tickets still up for grabs at whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
- C.S. Cartaginés vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Wednesday, February 18, 2026 – 7 p.m. PT
- Estadio Fello Meza – Cartago, Costa Rica
- BROADCAST
STREAMING/TELEVISION: View on OneSoccer, FuboTV, or TELUS channel 980 - HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
This Wednesday’s encounter will be the initial meeting between the ‘Caps and Cartaginés. It signifies the third occasion the ‘Caps have played a Costa Rican opponent, following their fixture against Deportivo Saprissa in the equivalent stage of their 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup run
2026 RETURN: After concluding a four-week preseason training camp in Spain, Vancouver Whitecaps FC are gearing up to resume play this week with two fixtures to commence their 2026 season. The squad aims to expand on their remarkable 2025 season, which included clinching a fourth consecutive TELUS Canadian Championship title, their inaugural Western Conference title, and reaching the finals of both the Concacaf Champions Cup and MLS Cup. In 2026, the ‘Caps will participate in these three tournaments again, along with the Leagues Cup later in the year. This season’s squad features German icon Thomas Müller, MLS era top scorer Brian White, current MLS Defender of the Year Tristan Blackmon, Paraguayan national Andrés Cubas, and MLS Best XI honoree Sebastian Berhalter.
INITIATING THE CONTINENTAL QUEST: The pursuit of continental renown kicks off this Wednesday, as the ‘Caps challenge Costa Rican club C.S. Cartaginés in the First Leg of Round One of the Concacaf Champions Cup at Estadio Fello Meza in Cartago, Costa Rica. The Blue and White advanced to the final in the previous year’s iteration of the competition, overcoming teams such as Deportivo Saprissa, CF Monterrey, Pumas UNAM, and Inter Miami CF before ultimately losing to Cruz Azul. This season, the ‘Caps aspire to reach the final once more, vying for an opportunity to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup and to be the first Canadian squad to claim the prestigious trophy. The Second Leg of Round One is scheduled for BC Place on Wednesday, February 25, with the victor over both legs moving on to the Round of 16 to confront Seattle Sounders FC.
SEASON HOME DEBUT: Whitecaps FC will promptly transition from Concacaf commitments to MLS regular season competition, as the team inaugurates its 16th league season with their home opener on Saturday, February 21, facing fellow Western Conference contender Real Salt Lake. This fixture, a repeat of the 2023 home opener, will additionally signify the ‘Caps’ 500th game in MLS regular season history. In the previous season, Vancouver triumphed in both their meetings with the Claret and Cobalt, securing a 2-1 win at BC Place and staging a 3-2 comeback victory on the road at America First Field. Historically, the ‘Caps maintain a 12W-5L-1D record in home games against Salt Lake. Furthermore, they aim to achieve consecutive home opener wins for the first time since 2014.
During the offseason, the ‘Caps brought in six fresh faces to the first team squad, including Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) alumni Nikola Djordjevic and Mihail Gherasimencov, ex-Colorado Rapids midfielder Oliver Larraz, Ecuadorian youth national Bruno Caicedo, seasoned MLS forward Aziel ‘AZ’ Jackson, and AFCON champion and Senegalese international Cheikh Sabaly. Further details on these new acquisitions can be found in their respective player bio sections below: