Pacific To Host ‘Downtown Derby’ In Victoria This Summer

For the first time in club history, Pacific FC will be hosting a home match right in middle of Victoria, British Columbia.

While not technically a ‘CPL On Tour’ match, Pacific’s visit to Royal Athletic Park will allow the club to offer more Island natives a chance to catch their local club without the trip to Langford, though Pacific hopes that will come afterwards.

It will mark the second time this season a team from Canada’s top flight has tested waters in a venue that isn’t its traditional home venue, with York United doing a tour match in Quebec City last month. That was more of a litmus test for league expansion, while Pacific is showcasing itself to more prospective Victoria Isle fans.

The Tridents’ Victoria match comes in the form of the Salish Sea Derby against Vancouver FC slated for Saturday, September 13, giving fans ample time to plan ahead for the venue-switch. Calling the event ‘the Downtown Derby’, up to 4,800 fans will be able to file in to the RAP and check out what Canada’s top flight has to offer.

“Hosting this match at RAP creates an exciting opportunity for our club to connect with downtown residents and potential fans who may not have seen Pacific in action before,” says Pacific FC Managing Director Ross Marshall.

“We are looking to reinforce the CPL’s goal of building soccer culture coast-to-coast by bringing an exciting professional game to this venue for a special match this season.”

The City of Victoria has used the venue to showcase BC sports to a new audience before, with the BC Lions hosting a game there last season, while the HarbourCats baseball team already call the RAP home.

“Langford is proud to be the home of Pacific FC and the passionate fan community that has grown around the club,” adds Mayor Goodmanson. “This Downtown Derby is a great opportunity to share the excitement of Pacific FC with new fans in Victoria. We’re confident that once they experience the energy, talent, and spirit of the Tridents, they’ll want to be part of the journey, right here in Langford.”

While this will be the first CPL match to grace Royal Athletic Park, the venue is steeped in Canadian soccer history: the men’s national team hosted Haiti and Guatemala there for the 1985 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, with countries like China and South Korea having faced Canada there in years since. In FIFA U-20 World Cup action, Luis Suarez even graced the pitch.

The Victoria Highlanders had also called the RAP home from 2011-2025, with European clubs like Chelsea, West Bromwich Albion and Dundee United enjoying tour matches there between the ’80s and 90’s.

Season ticket holders will have their tickets reflect the venue change and will be eligible for first dibs on further pre-order tickets to the Victoria-bound clash.