Kamloops United FC Awarded Canada Soccer National Youth Licence in Landmark Moment for the Club
- Gameday Kamloops
- 5 days ago
- 1 min read
Kamloops United FC has officially been awarded the Canada Soccer National Youth Licence, a milestone years in the making that fundamentally changes the soccer landscape in Kamloops and the surrounding Interior communities.
The National Youth Licence is Canada Soccer's highest recognition for youth soccer organizations in the country, reserved for clubs that demonstrate excellence across governance, player development, technical programming, and infrastructure. It is not a designation easily earned, and for Kamloops United FC it represents the culmination of years of deliberate and sustained work to build a club worthy of the country's top standard.
The practical impact for the region is significant. The licence officially brings the highest level of youth soccer in both BC and Canada to Kamloops, giving young players in the Interior access to elite development programming without having to leave their community.
Combined with the club's upcoming entry into the British Columbia Soccer Premier League this fall, Kamloops United FC now offers a complete development pathway from grassroots youth soccer all the way through to senior professional competition in the province's top league.
General Manager Lyle dos Santos spoke to the weight of the moment. "This is a landmark moment for soccer in Kamloops. KUFC is one of only a few clubs in BC where young players can see a complete development pathway in their own community, from grassroots participation to high-performance competition in the BCSPL and BCPL. That's transformative for our athletes, our families, and the future of the game in this region."