The Vancouver Whitecaps schedule is out. They do not have a coach and there is uncertainty surrounding their ownership, but at least they have a schedule!
For Whitecaps fans, this is an early Christmas gift. It is not a new signing or a new coach but it will do.
2025 will be another busy year for Vancouver. They will begin their season in the CONCACAF Champions Cup once again. They will begin playing on February 20 in Costa Rica against Kendall Waston’s Deportivo Saprissa. The second leg at BC Place is on February 27.
But between those two games, is the start of their MLS campaign. Let’s break down the 2025 Whitecaps schedule.
Back to Portland
This time, the Whitecaps will not be the home team in Portland. They will return to Providence Park on February 23 for a Cascadia Derby against the Portland Timbers.
Of course, Providence Park was the sight of the Whitecaps’ famous 5-0 wild card win over Portland in October. Vancouver was the designated home team from that game due to Supercross taking over BC Place.
The game will start at 1 pm Pacific time. For the Timbers, this will be a chance at revenge for the Wild Card humiliation and for the Whitecaps, it is a chance to start their season with a bang in one of the MLS’s most hostile environments.
Whitecaps face the Champs at BC Place.
The LA Galaxy won the MLS Cup in 2024 and on their way to that, they beat the Whitecaps twice in convincing fashion.
Vancouver’s home opener will be against the champions. Coming into BC Place will be Marco Reus, Joseph Paintsil, Gabriel Pec, Dejan Jovelic and if he is healthy, Riqui Puig.
Home openers are always a celebration that the team is back and are supposed to bring hope. For the Whitecaps, they will be thrown into the fire but can they come out of it without severe burns?
The kickoff time is very early as it is 2 pm.
Cascadia and Canada games
Cascadia games are always a must-see for Whitecaps fans.
After the season opener in Portland, the Timbers come to town on May 31. The following week, the Seattle Sounders come to BC Place. Vancouver makes their lone trip to Lumen Field on September 27.
Vancouver won the Cascadia Cup in 2023 but let it slip out of their hands in 2024. Can they reclaim Pacific Northwest supremacy?
Matches against other Canadian MLS clubs are also fun. CF Montreal comes to town on March 8. The Whitecaps will visit “The Six” and face Toronto FC at BMO Field on March 29.
In the last two seasons, the Whitecaps have three wins and a draw in matches against Toronto FC and CF Montreal.
Eastern Games
Aside from Toronto and Montreal, Vancouver will face four more Eastern Conference opponents. Andre Blake, Tai Baribo and the Philadelphia Union come to BC Place on September 13. They have not faced the Union since April 27, 2019. That game was a 1-1 draw at BC Place.
The Chicago Fire and their new head coach Gregg Berhalter roll into town on March 22. The Whitecaps last faced the Fire in Chicago i
Vancouver will also visit the Columbus Crew for the first time since 2022 on June 14. The Crew will be looking to bounce back from a shocking first-round exit to the New York Red Bulls in 2024 and make another run at MLS Cup in 2025.
The furthest away day on the Whitecaps schedule for 2025 is to Orlando City SC. Vancouver has a 3-1-1 record against Orlando and has not faced them since April 20, 2019, and that was in Orlando. That was a 1-0 loss for the Whitecaps and the recently retired Nani scored an 88th-minute winner for Orlando.
Stay Classy San Diego
San Diego FC are the kids on the block in MLS. On Wednesday, June 25, the Whitecaps will face them for the first time at BC Place. They make their first trip to the home of SeaWorld on July 19.
Whitecaps schedule by the numbers
17 matches will be at home and 17 matches are on the road in the 34-game schedule. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be. That is thanks to San Diego. Vancouver will play Western Conference opponents twice, one home and one away.
The official press release also stated that 14 Whitecaps games will be on TSN. The specific games will be confirmed in the new year.
10 home matches will be played on Saturday, five on Sunday and just two on Wednesday. In previous years, the vast majority of home matches were on Saturday. In March there will be a three-game homestand and a five-game road trip in late June and July.
Home match start times vary.
Rejoice for fans who live far away from BC Place! The Whitecaps schedule for home matches has a variety of start times.
Only four Whitecaps home matches start at 7:30 pm. Those are March 22 against Chicago, May 28 against Minnesota United and June 25 against San Diego, July 26 against San Diego.
Four home matches begin at 6 pm while six of them start at 6:30 pm. The home opener against the Galaxy will be the earliest home match start of the season. The May 11 game against LAFC will be at 4 pm. Once again, the Whitecaps and LAFC meet again.
Other competitions
Like other teams in MLS, the Whitecaps schedule is filled with other competitions.
The Canadian Championship draw has been held and the Whitecaps will face the winner of Valour and TSS Rovers sometime in May. If the Whitecaps reach the final, it will be played in October. That should once again test their squad depth and play in the late-season stretch.
Leagues Cup will be played between July 29 and August 31. Unlike the past two years, the tournament will not stop MLS play and will be held midweek during the season.
MLS will also pause for the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the newly revamped FIFA Club World Cup between June 15 and 24. At least MLS is starting to break for international games!
Decision Day
The Whitecaps wrap up their regular season on October 18. They will be playing at home to FC Dallas. The best case scenario, that game has a raucous BC Place crowd ready for the playoffs.
The Whitecaps were sixth in average MLS attendance in 2024. That was mainly due to the package for the Inter Miami game in which Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets did not show up.
Vancouver also had a mediocre 6-4-7 record in 2024 with the big crowds. It will be interesting to see what the attendance numbers look like without the possibility of Messi coming to Vancouver and if the Whitecaps can make BC Place a fortress again.
Up next for the Whitecaps, get a new head coach in. Whitecaps CEO and Sporting Director Axel Schuster has confirmed the list is down to five names. Then, it seems will see some player outgoings and incomings.
