SOTOGRANDE, CÁDIZ – Vancouver Whitecaps FC kicked off their fourth consecutive preseason in Spain on Sunday, holding their first training session at the Sotogrande Football Center, one of several training complexes within the Marbella Football Center network.
The team departed Vancouver on Friday afternoon and arrived in Cádiz on Saturday, which will serve as their base for the next 24 days. The ’Caps are scheduled to play four to five preseason matches in the Andalusia region before returning to Vancouver on February 11. Match details will be confirmed in the coming days.
This year’s preseason roster features 37 players, including 28 first team players. Of those, 25 are returning members of the squad, along with WFC2 graduates Nikola Djordjevic and Mihail Gherasimencov, and newest addition Oliver Larraz, who signed with the club last Thursday. In total, there are 16 players from the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy in camp.
Nine first team players have been together for three or more MLS seasons with Whitecaps FC:
- Goalkeepers: Isaac Boehmer (seventh season), Yohei Takaoka (fourth season)
- Defenders: Tristan Blackmon (fifth season), Mathías Laborda (fourth season), Ranko Veselinović (seventh season)
- Midfielders: Sebastian Berhalter (fifth season), Andrés Cubas (fifth season)
- Forwards: Ryan Gauld (sixth season), Brian White (sixth season)
The first team roster also features a strong contingent of Whitecaps FC BMO Academy graduates and WFC2 signings:
- Sam Adekugbe joined the academy in September 2011 and signed as a Homegrown Player in August 2013
- Isaac Boehmer joined the BMO Academy System in September 2013, entered the MLS Academy in August 2018, and signed his first professional contract in August 2020
- Jeevan Badwal joined the academy in August 2019, signed with WFC2 in February 2024, and joined the first team in September 2024
- Mihail Gherasimencov joined the academy in August 2020, signed with WFC2 in March 2023, and joined the first team in December 2025
- Rayan Elloumi joined the academy in August 2023, signed with WFC2 in June 2025, and joined the first team in September 2025
- Liam Mackenzie joined the academy in August 2020, signed with WFC2 in April 2024, and signed a first team contract in August 2025
The roster also includes MLS academy products with Larraz from Colorado Rapids, Berhalter from Columbus Crew, Nelson Pierre from Philadelphia Union, and Ralph Priso from Toronto FC.
Eight first team players are participating in their first full VWFC preseason camp in Spain. This group includes Emmanuel Sabbi, who joined the club just prior to the 2025 season, WFC2 graduates Elloumi and Pierre, summer signings Kenji Cabrera, Thomas Müller, Joedrick Pupe, and Sebastian Schonlau, and Larraz. Djordjevic, Gherasimencov, and Mackenzie participated in last year’s Marbella camp.
The club has also invited six WFC2 players to camp, including Whitecaps FC BMO Academy graduates Sahil Deo, Immanuel Mathe, Johnny Selemani, and Yuma Tsuji. Also included are returning forward Cyprian Kachwele and new forward Daniel Ittycheria. For Kachwele, this marks his second consecutive first team preseason.
Three current Whitecaps FC BMO Academy players are also training with the group in Tyler Brown, Sam Rogers, and Ryder Sewell. This is Sewell’s second preseason camp with the first team.
Regarding MLS SuperDraft selections, Yeider Zuluaga was scheduled to join the team in Spain but remains in Vancouver while rehabilitating a groin injury sustained last October. Fellow draft picks Zach Ramsey, Daniel Lugo, and Connor Lofy have opted to return to college and will remain on the club’s SuperDraft Priority List through December 31, 2027.
Badwal, Elloumi, and Priso are set to join the squad following a 10-day Canada men’s national team camp in Irvine, California, which concluded with a 1-0 victory over Guatemala at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday night. Giuseppe Bovalina will also join the group after representing Australia’s U-23 men’s national team at the AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2026 in Saudi Arabia.
Whitecaps FC Preseason Roster
- Goalkeepers (4): Isaac Boehmer, Sam Rogers~, Yohei Takaoka, Adrián Zendejas
- Centre Backs (6): Tristan Blackmon, Mathías Laborda, Immanuel Mathe^, Joedrick Pupe, Sebastian Schonlau, Ranko Veselinović
- Full Backs (7): Sam Adekugbe, Giuseppe Bovalina, Sahil Deo^, Nikola Djordevic, Mihail Gherasimencov, Tate Johnson, Édier Ocampo
- Central Midfielders (7): Jeevan Badwal, Sebastian Berhalter, Andrés Cubas, Oliver Larraz, J.C. Ngando, Ralph Priso, Yuma Tsuji^
- Attacking Midfielders/Forwards (13): Tyler Brown~, Kenji Cabrera, Rayan Elloumi, Ryan Gauld, Daniel Ittycheria^, Cyprian Kachwele^, Liam Mackenzie, Thomas Müller, Nelson Pierre, Emmanuel Sabbi, Johnny Selemani^, Ryder Sewell~, Brian White
^ Whitecaps FC 2 | ~ Whitecaps FC BMO Academy
Whitecaps FC will return to Vancouver on February 11 in advance of the Concacaf Champions Cup and the start of the MLS regular season.
Important Dates
- January 18: First training session – Sotogrande Football Center, Spain
- February 10: Depart Spain
- February 11: Arrive in Vancouver, BC
- February 18: Concacaf Champions Cup Round One, First Leg at Club Sport Cartaginés – 7 p.m. PT
- February 21: MLS season opener vs. Real Salt Lake – 4:30 p.m. PT
- February 25: Concacaf Champions Cup Round One, Second Leg vs. Club Sport Cartaginés – 6:30 p.m. PT
For the latest information, visit whitecapsfc.com and follow @WhitecapsFC on social media.