Vancouver Whitecaps kick off CONCACAF Champions Cup
VANCOUVER — Falling quick nonetheless eats on the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The membership surprised many in 2025, first downing a sequence of big-name opponents to earn a spot within the CONCACAF Champions Cup closing, the place it fell to Liga MX large Cruz Azul.
Vancouver then adopted up with its finest Major League Soccer season on document and capped the yr with an look within the MLS Cup closing. The crew fell once more, this time to Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
Now these losses are serving as motivation as a brand new season begins.
“Obviously, we had a really good season last year, and we made it to the very end. And we weren’t able to capitalize on those situations,” stated striker Brian White.
“So I think everyone’s kind of got that hunger, that chip on their shoulders, to kind of redeem those games. And we know it’s going to be a long, hard season, but I think everyone’s excited for it.”
The 2026 marketing campaign begins Wednesday when the ‘Caps go to Costa Rican facet CS Cartagines to kick off their Champions Cup run.
The two-legged opening spherical sequence begins in Cartago earlier than shifting to Vancouver on Feb. 25. It would be the first-ever assembly between the 2 sides.
White is aware of onlookers are predicting massive issues from his crew within the match this yr.
“I think the expectations, especially externally, have been raised,” he stated. ”I feel for us, I feel we went into each sport final yr eager to win that sport, eager to win that spherical.
“And that’s all we can really look at right now, that we have Cartagines this round. And if we want to achieve anything, we have to get through them first.”
Cartagines heads into Wednesday’s matchup in midseason kind whereas the ‘Caps have simply wrapped up coaching camp in Marbella, Spain.
“They’re doing well in their league. That’s always going to be a challenge,” White stated. ”It’s going to be a tricky check away from residence.
“Far, heat, altitude. Yeah, it’s going to be a challenge, but I think everyone’s ready for it.”
Cartagines did not play Champions Cup in 2025, however received the match again in 1994.
The crew has wingers who can take the ball inside and shoot effectively, and robust attackers who go into the field exhausting, stated Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen.
“I think it’s a good team that has confidence from having a good start, maybe a little bit of a better start than normal, in the Costa Rican league,” he stated. ”But additionally it is a crew the place we hope we’ll be sturdy sufficient to ultimately prevail over two video games.”
The ‘Caps have sturdy items, too, together with German soccer star Thomas Muller, who’s set to play his first full season with the crew after coming over from Bayern Munich in August.
White, too, has lengthy been an offensive star for Vancouver and led the membership in targets final season with 16 in MLS play.
Last season, he helped the Whitecaps edge one other Costa Rican membership, Saprissa, in Champions Cup with two targets within the second leg of their first-round sequence.
“This tournament’s a big moment,” he stated of the efficiency. “Playing for your national team is a big moment.
“So you always try to play at your best, and I’ve been able, fortunately, to do that in the past. So hopefully, I can continue doing that. But it’s going to be a tough challenge.”
Another challenge for the Whitecaps this season will be their packed schedule.
Three days after facing Cartagines, the team will kick off the MLS season at home hosting Real Salt Lake.
The group benefited from having games come fast and furious last year, Sorensen said.
“All the players got involved, and we got a lot of contributions from various players. So I think that was huge,” he said. Now, of course, hopefully it will be the same, that we will be ready to go, and everyone will be ready to play their part.”
The cramped schedule will drive Sorensen and his employees to rotate the lineup, although, particularly as attacking midfielder Ryan Gauld, and defenders Ranko Veselinovic and Belal Halbouni proceed to work their means again from accidents.
Vancouver will nonetheless be fielding its very best roster towards Cartagines, Sorensen stated.
“It’s a competition we would like to see if we can do even better than last year. And if we want to do that, we have to win it. Also we have to take it seriously,” he stated.
“There’s not that much room for error. So we cannot just say ‘Yeah, we go light in a couple of games here, and then we focus on the MLS.’ “We have to be strong already from (Wednesday) on.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 17, 2026.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
