AFC Toronto Captain Emma Regan Sold To NWSL Team

The inaugural Northern Super League supporters’ shield winners will march into the club’s second season without team captain Emma Regan.

AFC Toronto has confirmed that the Canadian international has been sold to an NWSL club for an undisclosed fee, ending her time on home soil after a season that saw her lift on trophy but fall just shy of a playoff championship.

The 25-year-old midfielder was a strong performer for AFC Toronto, completing an iron woman season to feature in every single possible minute through the club’s inaugural campaign. She was named the league’s Midfielder of the Year and tallied three goals for the NSL Finalists, also being dubbed the club’s Player of the Season.

Her fine club form saw her continue to feature for the Canadian women’s national team, with the midfielder adding a further eleven caps and scoring her first international goal in 2025.

Suffice to say, Regan leaves big boots to fill for the Toronto-based side. Regan’s new club has not yet revealed itself.

“When I think about my time at AFC Toronto, the word that comes to mind is gratitude. I’m extremely grateful to have been a part of this team, especially in its first season. I’m grateful to everyone who made this league, let alone this team, a reality,” says Regan.

“I have the opportunity now to make another step in my career; it’s one that I’m very excited about – but it is really hard to say goodbye to this team, this city, this organization. It has been a privilege to be your captain.”

The Burnaby native came through the Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite REX program, donning the captain’s armband and winning BC Soccer Youth Player of the Year. She also represented the TSS Rovers before stepping out to the University of Texas at Austin.

Her four-year collegiate career saw her tally ninety games overall, with Regan soon captaining the side and leading them to a Big 12 Championship in 2022. That year also saw her win the inaugural League1 BC season with Varsity FC, who later rebranded as Nautsa’mawt.

Having cracked the youth setup on the national level earlier on, Regan’s first senior nod came in 2018. She made her debut against Cuba, but fell out of the national team roster until turning heads after joining the professional ranks at HB Koge in 2024, winning a league title with the side.

“Emma represents everything we want AFC Toronto to stand for: excellence, humility, and a relentless drive to improve on a daily basis,” says AFC Toronto Sporting Director Billy Wilson. “She was one of the first players to fully buy in and commit to our vision for the club. Emma came to Toronto with a strong desire to help build this club and this league, and she has certainly done that”.

See Also: AFC Toronto Confirms Five Player Departures

Wilson notes that an opportunity arose for Regan in the NWSL that she wished to pursue, with AFC Toronto helping facilitate the transfer for an undisclosed fee.

The Northern Super League side hasn’t been slow to bring in midfield power, recruiting Vancouver Rise captain Samantha Chang just last week. It’s unclear if Chang will also don the armband while in Toronto.

Header Image Photo Credit: John Jacques