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In comes Canada Soccer, out go the Vancouver Whitecaps.<\/p>\n
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After this week\u2019s news that the University of B.C. will serve as home base for Canada during the World Cup, Postmedia has confirmed the Vancouver Whitecaps will be taking over training facilities normally used by St. George\u2019s School, a tony private school on Vancouver\u2019s west side.<\/p>\n
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The Whitecaps, as well as the Rise and the Next Pro squad, are being forced out of the National Soccer Development Centre at UBC, the training facility they\u2019ve occupied since 2017 by the World Cup. Both the Next Pro team, otherwise known as Whitecaps 2, and the Rise will continue to play over the next two months; the Whitecaps themselves are on hiatus from league action while the World Cup is on but will return to training in the latter half of June.<\/p>\n
The whole operation is moving to two different St. George\u2019s facilities, a school source confirmed: into the space at Thunderbird Arena normally used by the school\u2019s hockey academy \u2014 which was formerly used by the Whitecaps \u2014 and also to the school itself.<\/p>\n
The teams will train at the school\u2019s grass fields and will also make use of the school\u2019s fitness facilities while also converting a number of classrooms into office space. The team and players will also have access to the school\u2019s kitchens and dining areas.<\/p>\n
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The Thunderbird Arena spaces will also be converted into changing rooms, treatment spaces and office space as well.<\/p>\n
With the school year winding down \u2014 and the hockey team off the ice at UBC \u2014 accommodating the Whitecaps is apparently very manageable for St. George\u2019s. The school has hosted a number of top flight international teams before: when Wrexham played their pre-season friendly in Vancouver in 2024, they were based at Saints; the school has also been a regular training venue for teams playing in the Canada Sevens.<\/p>\n
At the NSDC, the Canadians will take over all of the Whitecaps\u2019 spaces, including the training rooms, changing areas and dining halls.<\/p>\n
Canada\u2019s first group stage game is in Toronto on June 12 vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Bosnians will be based in Utah at Real Salt Lake\u2019s facilities). Canada\u2019s second (June 18 vs. Qatar) and third (June 24 vs. Switzerland) will both be back in Vancouver.<\/p>\n
The Canadians will be staying at the Hilton Bayshore downtown while in Vancouver but will travel by coach out to training and to B.C. Place<\/a> for their two matches. If Canada wins group B, they\u2019ll play at B.C. Place<\/a> for a round of 32 match on July 2; if they win that match they\u2019ll stay in Vancouver for their round of 16 match on July 2.<\/p>\n If Canada finishes second in the group, they\u2019ll play in Los Angeles for the round of 32; win that game and they\u2019re on to Houston. If the Canadians finish third and are one of the eight best-placed of the 12 third-placed teams, they\u2019ll play their round of 32 match either in Massachusetts or the Bay Area.<\/p>\n pjohnston@postmedia.com<\/a><\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Whitecaps: Sebastian Berhalter is the most vital player in MLS<\/p>\n![\"Sebastian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0526-col-caps-11.jpg\")
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