BREAKING: Coalition of govts, First Nations, private partners 'aligned' on keeping Whitecaps in Vancouver

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has joined a broad coalition of partners in releasing a joint statement affirming their commitment to keeping the Vancouver Whitecaps in the city for "generations to come."

The statement, issued Thursday, includes the City of Vancouver, the province of British Columbia, the federal government, the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, PavCo, and private partners.

In the statement posted to X the partners say, “this joint statement demonstrates a unified commitment from all partners to keep the Whitecaps in Vancouver for generations to come.” They add that they are “aligned and working together within a positive framework to deliver an even better future for soccer in our city.”

The partners say they are focused on improving the game-day economic model at BC Place, exploring additional sponsorship opportunities, and advancing work on potential sites for a new stadium and development. It is currently unclear who the private partners are at this time, however it is speculated they are local to the province of BC.

The statement concludes with a clear message, declaring that “Vancouver is open for business.” The partners say they are “doing everything we can to keep the Whitecaps here, and we are committed to building a long-term solution that reflects the scale, ambition, and global future of this city.”

The joint statement comes amid months of uncertainty about the club’s future, including reports that Major League Soccer owners had discussed the possibility of relocating the Whitecaps, with Las Vegas identified as a leading candidate.

It follows recent expressions of support from Premier David Eby, BC Minister Ravi Kahlon, and Canada Soccer, as well as the ongoing #SaveTheCaps fan campaign ignited by the Whitecaps' Southsiders supporters group ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches at BC Place.