FC Supra Signs Teen Talent Eliakim Awonongbadje To Pro Deal

Having impressed while on a development contract with FC Supra du Quebec this season, teen talent Eliakim Awonongbadje is now turning professional.

The 17-year-old defender has penned an Exceptional Young Talent contract guaranteed through 2028 that includes club options for 2029 and 2030.

Awonongbadje was signed to a development deal back in March but had to wait until August to make his debut, playing the full 90 minutes in what ultimately became the club’s first clean sheet of the season – against Forge, no less. He then played in the following two games against Vancouver and Halifax.

Born in Lome, Togo, Awonongbadje had actually participated in the CPL’s U-19 Showcase match in Quebec City last year. One year later, he’s calling the league home as a fully-fledged professional.

With FC Supra du Quebec committing to only recruit Quebecois talent, the expansion side is now betting on this young local defender for the long term. It’s a nice balance of things, really, with the club having brought veteran attacker Jack McInerney out of retirement last week.

Before the arrival of FC Supra, Awonongbadje made history in Quebec’s semi-pro ranks by becoming the youngest goalscorer in Ligue1 Quebec history in 2024, getting on the scoresheet for CS Saint-Laurent while helping the side secure both the league title and Coupe du Quebec later on. He also helped Team Quebec win gold at the 2025 Canada Games.

“Eliakim has earned this opportunity through the work, commitment and maturity he has shown since joining us,” said FC Supra President Rocco Placentino.

“He has tremendous potential and has shown that he can compete in this environment. To see him progress from our first Development Contract signing to an Exceptional Young Talent contract is exactly the kind of pathway we want to build at FC Supra. We’re proud of what he has accomplished so far and excited about what comes next.”

The Canadian Premier League roster rules allow clubs to sign up to two U-18 domestic players to standard player contracts outside their 23-player primary roster through the Exceptional Young Talent designation, an incentive designed to help kickstart professional domestic careers in the proverbial Canadian backyard.

Awonongbadje is eligible for both Canada and Togo, though his first career steps have not included any youth national team considerations thus far.

The club’s new 17-year-old signing could feature tonight as FC Supra du Quebec visit Wild Rose country to take on top-of-the-table Cavalry FC.

Having conceded a fair amount of goals in its debut season, this month also saw the side land high-profile full-back Zachary Brault-Guillard.