Vancouver All-In On Afshin For Third Year

Canadian Premier League side Vancouver FC will march into its third season with Afshin Ghotbi remaining at the helm.

The 60-year-old led the club through its first two seasons, boldly stating that the club would be a championship contender by year two. While the Eagles didn’t soar quite so high, the veteran head coach will remain in place as the club aims to land its first-ever playoff position.

Ghotbi’s 56 matches as head coach currently leave him with 15 wins, 14 draws, and 27 losses.

“I am pleased to bring Afshin back for his third season with Vancouver FC,” said Vancouver FC President Rob Friend, who recently took on a new role with the Malaysian Football Federation and has been steadfast that building up the club will take time.

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“Leading a new squad in a league as competitive as the Canadian Premier League comes with its challenges, but Afshin has never shied away from the task. He continues to set lofty goals for our organization and we are confident we will achieve them during his tenure.”

Afshin’s first season at the helm was the club’s inaugural season end on a good run of form, though the side was unable to climb further than second-last on the occasion. After a hot start in 2024, Vancouver fell out of a playoff position to finish seventh place again, though they did maintain a positive record against league rivals Pacific.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue our unfinished business in developing the ‘football factory’ of Vancouver FC,” adds Ghotbi. “We have built the foundation and identity of a football club that will change the sporting landscape of Canada. I am grateful to the ownership, the fans, and players for their trust and support and look forward to a thrilling season.”

The veteran head coach boasts an impressive CV that includes assisting South Korea to a World Cup semi-final in 2002 and leading Iran during the Asian Cup in 2011, having also coached at the club level in Japan, Thailand, Persia, and China.

It hasn’t been all sunshine with Vancouver FC, however: the last two seasons have led to whispers of locker room discontent between several players and the head coach, though that hasn’t dispelled a vote of confidence from club ownership.

Vancouver’s roster has seen plenty of turnover throughout the last two seasons, including several mid-season roster change-ups. While youngsters like James Cameron and Grady McDonnell have done well, some midseason moves like loaning out Moses Dyer and the late acquisition of Austin Ricci were ultimately flops.

The lower mainland side has averaged just over 3,000 fans per match, with club ownership now banking big on general admission tickets for the 2025 CPL season. Winning is also a method that puts butts in seats, with Ghotbi now hoping the third time will prove the charm out west.

If Ghotbi remains in place for the full campaign, Vancouver FC will become the fifth team to keep a coach in place for its first three seasons, behind Cavalry, Halifax, Forge, and York United.

The club has ten players locked in to guaranteed deals for this year’s season, with Alejandro Diaz remaining on loan from Norwegian club Sogndal Fotbal. The club had held no less than eleven club options on additional players, but it’s unclear which were activated as of yet.

Header Image Photo Credit: Beau Chevalier / Vancouver FC