VANCOUVER — Dozens of Whitecaps fans gathered outside the Vancouver Convention Centre Thursday morning to hold a rally in support of keeping the team in its current home.
The move comes amid rumours that the club could be sold and relocated to Las Vegas.
A crowd of Whitecaps supporters have gathered outside the FIFA Congress in Vancouver to demand the team stays in the city:
— Sitka Media (@sitkamedia) April 30, 2026
“Boundary Road, take me home, to the place I belong — Vancouverrrr!” pic.twitter.com/KdnaiEVL0y
As football executives convened at the FIFA Congress, Whirtecaps supporters — many of whom were members of the "Southsiders" fanclub — chanted.
"Boundary Road, take me home, to the place I belong — Vancouverrrr!"
Southsiders tell football execs at the FIFA Congress:
— Sitka Media (@sitkamedia) April 30, 2026
“The Whitecaps belong in Vancouver!” pic.twitter.com/8Y7jNOYUD5
Other chants highlighted the team's 50-year history in Vancouver, and the fans' desire to ensure the team stays in town.
Sitka Media’s @JarrydJaeger caught up with Southsiders Creative Director Nicholas Naughton-Rumbo to get his thoughts on the Whitecaps’ potential move out of Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/EpXnX2ZO7v
— Sitka Media (@sitkamedia) April 30, 2026
In an interview, Southsiders Creative Director Nicholas Naughton-Rumbo told Sitka Media why he and his fellow supporters made the effort to come out at 8am on a Thursday.
"FIFA are in town for the annual congress, we thought it was a good opportunity to get in front of not just local media but also international media, bring the issue up and just show the world what a farcical situation it all is," he explained.
When asked if there was anyone in particular he'd like the message to reach, Naughton-Rumbo said MLS Commissioner Don Garber.
"I'd love him to come out and look at people and see that there's people behind this — people that really care about this club," he added. "Have a look at this and then come and tell me that this club needs to move to Las Vegas."
Sitka Media’s @JarrydJaeger caught up with Whitecaps supporter @leehaber to get his thoughts on the club’s potential move out of Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/cBRXsZVyvx
— Sitka Media (@sitkamedia) April 30, 2026
Naughton-Rumbo's sentiments were shared by fellow 'Caps fan Lee Haber.
He told Sitka Media that the team is not only "viable" from a business perspective, but an integral part of the community.
"You take one of the longest-standing, most historic clubs out of its community, you, in essence, are killing the golden goose trying to get another egg," he warned.
Haber urged the owners to tell stakeholders — and fans — what they need to keep the team in Vancouver, arguing that whatever it may be, everyone could come together to "make it work."
