Vancouver Whitecaps sale no closer to reality, CEO says

Vancouver Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster says the sale of the MLS club has made no progress, leaving him just as concerned about the team’s future as before. The club has been for sale since December 2024, and its current ownership group — Greg Kerfoot, Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett and former NBA player Steve Nash — has repeatedly said its priority is keeping the team in Vancouver. The asking price has not been released publicly.

More than 100 groups had expressed interest in buying the franchise and more than 30 were given access to the club’s financial information, the Whitecaps have previously said, but no viable offers followed. Schuster said interested parties still need to complete processes and qualify, adding that the situation has developed neither positively nor negatively.

Club and Major League Soccer officials have met several times with municipal, provincial and federal representatives, as well as leaders of three local First Nations, to discuss the team’s future. The Whitecaps and MLS say the club’s revenue potential is limited partly because it does not own its home venue, BC Place, making it harder to attract buyers willing to keep the team in Vancouver. The 55,000-seat stadium is owned and operated by provincial Crown corporation PavCo.

Schuster said the club is considering several options to address the stadium situation, including discussions with the provincial government. Those talks were interrupted by an August cabinet shuffle, and a snap election called Tuesday by Premier David Eby could also affect negotiations. The Whitecaps do not yet have an agreement to play at BC Place in 2027, he said, and he would have liked to see more goodwill from the province.

MLS is set to stage parts of two seasons in 2027, beginning with a condensed sprint season from February through May before shifting to the spring-summer calendar used by most European leagues. Schuster said the Whitecaps are close to securing dates at BC Place for next year, which is important before ticket sales begin, but said a formal new agreement is not imminent.

Schuster said the club is preparing for the sprint season and intends to be competitive, while also preparing for a full season. But he said he does not know how long the uncertainty can continue and cannot assure fans they will have no reason for concern after the spring season. Some goodwill must occur first, he said.