Third Time’s The Charm: York United Rebrands To Inter Toronto FC

It’s official: today, York United FC has rebranded to Inter Toronto FC.

It was almost exactly two years ago that the three Pasquel brothers purchased Canadian Premier League side York United, believing that the CPL club had a financially viable future.

Today’s rebrand to Inter Toronto FC, along with a move of the club’s own offices, harkens to a future closer to the city core. There are steps being taken towards a move to Lamport Stadium, though for now the more northern York Lions Stadium will remain in use by the club as the owners seek out a upgrades to the former.

The rebrand launches a stark departure from the green-and-blue hues that have been present over the last seven years, with Inter Toronto FC set to use white, blue, gold, and gray in its colour scheme.

“Just as York became Toronto in 1834, this change signals our ambition to keep pushing forward, relentless in our pursuit to lead the next era of Canadian soccer,” reads a press release from the club.

The new club crest now pays direct homage to Toronto, boasting an ‘I’ and ‘T’ that intertwine to symbolize the three major rivers that flow into Lake Ontario itself, though the Lake Ontario is actually fed by more than three tributary rivers.

The Journey Here

Having kicked off as York9 FC in 2019 – a nod to York Region’s nine municipalities – the club’s original owners pivoted to an ambitious rebrand to York United ahead of season three, toning down to a more mature green and blue combination whilst establishing a name that, while retaining its York focus, began implementing themes relating to the city of Toronto itself rather than just York Region.

The Baldasarra Family then sold club ownership to CPL owners Canadian Soccer Business, who deserve credit in backing themselves to quickly find a new owner. They accomplished that in the Pasquel brothers’ Game Plan Sports Group, who took over the club in November 2024 and have emphasized a community club focus since day one.

That focus has now led the Pasquel brothers to shift the lens to Toronto proper ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, a moment in time the league has earmarked well before the CPL kicked its first ball in 2019.

“The name Inter Toronto highlights the connections between people, generations, and cultures shaped by one of the world’s most international cities,” reads the club’s release.

“Our city stands for opportunity and resilience and our club must reflect that,” echoes Inter Toronto President and co-owner Ricardo Pasquel.

“Inter Toronto is the next step in our journey to strengthen Canadian soccer and provide a true pathway for young players to grow right here at home. We are investing in our community and in a future where Inter Toronto becomes a symbol of what this sport can achieve in Canada. It is an exciting moment, and it belongs to everyone who believes in what we are building.”

The Timeline

Game Plan Sports Group filed a trademark application for Inter Toronto FC in August 2024, with a first glimpse at the logo coming in May 2025. Its discovery sparked widespread attention, and in September we were the first to lock in a timeline: Inter Toronto was coming ahead of the 2026 CPL season.

In an odd twist, club ownership met with select supporters near the end of the ‘25 season, downplaying that the Inter Toronto name was locked in and that a rebrand was imminent. A stadium, fans were told, would come first.

In reality, the Inter Toronto train continued, and it has now chugga-chugga’d its way to downtown Toronto, albeit still with a northern stadium still in use for the time being.

A Stadium Of Their Own

York Lions Stadium, despite being situated next to a subway line, has proven to be a difficult place to call home: too south to properly call itself York Region and too north to attract a downtown Toronto crowd, its geographical gray zone sometimes feels just as confusing as having three rebrands in seven years.

The owners agree, saying that playing home games from York University, where it shares the pitch with varsity teams and AFC Toronto, makes it easy for unaware fans to confuse the side with a university team.

York University has, were told, not been the easiest landlord to work with, either.

As a result, a shift to downtown is in the works. Game Plan Sports Group has already held discussions with the city about renovating Lamport Stadium, a 9,600 capacity ground constructed in 1975. It’s certainly showing its age, but moving there would put Inter Toronto FC in the downtown core. Repairing it will be an expensive project, and right now it’s a job without a timeline.

“We’ve been having very good conversations with the City of Toronto regarding Lamport,” Ricardo Pasquel revealed to Sportsnet. “They want us playing there. From our end, we’ve spoken about investing in Lamport, renovating Lamport – not just for us, but for the benefit of the community.”

The Next Generation

This summer the club revealed plans to launch a second League1 Ontario team after fielding an U-20 academy side this year that will shift to U-21 next season, with the Pasquels now intent on adding U-13, U-14, U-15, and U-18 teams next year. 

It remains to be seen where the academy sides will play from in the time being.

What’s Next?

We were invited to tonight’s media and stakeholder event, allowing for an inside look at the process. More news to come from our discussions there.

We broke the news of Inter Toronto’s announcement over 60 days ago – and we couldn’t have done it without your support. Support Independent Media: Support Northern Tribune On Patreon