B.C. soccer rivals face off in Langford as Canadian Premier League season opens

Los Angeles Galaxy's Robbie Keane, left, of Ireland, and Rob Friend celebrate Keane's goal against the Vancouver Whitecaps during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday April 19, 2014. Friend is now in charge of the expansion Vancouver FC in the Canadian Premier League. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Rob Friend will be proud but likely conflicted Saturday when expansion Vancouver FC takes the field for the first time in the Canadian Premier League to face Pacific FC at Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C.

Both B.C. clubs are owned by SixFive Sports & Entertainment, whose lead investors are Friend, fellow former Canadian international Josh Simpson and Dean Shillington.

Pacific is the B.C. big brother, having entered the league at its inception in 2019 and won the championship in 2021.

"Pacific was our baby. It was five years of blood, sweat and tears building that organization," said Friend, who won 32 caps for Canada between 2003 and 2011. "And I'm proud where it's at and what we've done. It's in a very good place and I think it's only going to continue. We still have huge ambitions with that club.

"And now this is our new baby. And that offers new challenges. So it's going to be very strange sitting in a neutral position with our two babies, that we're very proud of, that offer something different. Two different markets. And I'm very excited that there's already a healthy rivalry between the fans and the markets that is going to grow."

"It's a very strange feeling," he concluded, returning to Saturday's showdown. "You can't lose in that game. After that it's supporting both clubs throughout the rest of the season."

While the two teams share common ownership, the league says the club operations are separate. Friend, 42, is the point man for the Vancouver franchise while Simpson, 39, focuses on Pacific.

"For obvious reasons, from licensing to governance, we've had to really separate and draw a line in the sand of who runs which club," said Friend. "So I've had to really step away actively from Pacific … So I've very much been focused on Vancouver the last year I'd say."

Vancouver will play out of Willoughby Community Park at the Langley Events Centre. The venue is a modular design that will accommodate up to 7,000 fans on game day in its inaugural season.

Essentially the stadium is prefabricated with parts shipped to Vancouver.

The plan calls for the stadium to be ready for Vancouver's first home match May 7 against Cavalry FC. The expansion team will play its first three league games on the road,

The hope is to expand the stadium, which is owned by and operated by the Township of Langley, and add a roof in the years to come.

The Vancouver FC owners are involved in its construction through its parent company's affiliate SixFive Stadium Experience — a business that came out of the group's experiences with Starlight Stadium in Langford and the new Langley venue.

Such stadiums range in price from $10 million to $25 million, according to Shillington.

The modular design is based on the likes of Empire Field, according to Vancouver FC. Empire Field was a temporary soccer and CFL stadium built at Hastings Park to accommodate local teams while a new retractable roof was installed at B.C. Place Stadium in 2010 and 2011.

Halifax Wanderers FC, an original CPL team, has its own modular home, Wanderers Ground.

SixFive Sports & Entertainment is a global football fund "seeking investments in high growth markets, under-managed European clubs, and distressed or turnaround opportunities.'' The name comes from Friend's and Shillington's height.

Simpson won 43 caps for Canada between 2004 and 2012.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2023