Toronto FC II to relocate to Barrie in 2028 with new downtown stadium

"Dream bigger."

It was a simple piece of advice from Jamie Massie to Peter Raco five years ago as they imagined what professional soccer in Barrie could look like.

Now, that dream is becoming reality.

City officials, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, MLS NEXT Pro and Barrie Stadium Group announced Tuesday that Toronto FC II will relocate to Barrie in 2028 and play in a new soccer-specific stadium in the city's downtown on the land that was formerly the home of Barrie Central Collegiate Institute.

"Our commitment is to build more than a team," Raco, introduced as the president and CEO of Barrie MLS Next Pro, said at the announcement in front of hundreds at Meridian Place. "We're here to build the community club — a club that inspires our daughters and sons to also dream bigger — A home ground for the loud, and for the quiet, for the old and the young, for the lifelong football supporters, and for the first time fan."

The proposed 3,500-seat venue will become the future home of the club while also serving as a community facility capable of hosting concerts, public events, and other amateur sports like lacrosse and rugby. Barrie Stadium Group will partner with the city to develop and operate the venue.

"This right here will be the most iconic small stadium in Canada," Raco told reporters. "Every square foot of that stadium has been designed with the intention of being soccer-specific and football first."

Other features include a covered grandstand, 16 suites, a club lounge, 250 fieldside seats, a rooftop terrace, and turf that will be designed to be played on from late February to late October.

It's expected that the capacity of the grounds could expand from the 3,500 permanent seats to 6,500 for sporting events and 8,500 for concerts.

Mayor Alex Nuttall says the City of Barrie will be fronting $26 million of the expected $130 million cost of the project, with the difference to be paid by MLSE and Barrie Stadium Group. He added that Tourism Barrie estimates the economic impact of the club will be around $57 milliion, and could rise up to $64 million when factoring in the ability to host concerts at the venue.

The City and MLSE are still going through the site planning process for the project, but its expected that shovels will hit the ground in late 2026 or early 2027.

"This is one of those announcements people will remember years from now," Steve Ricalis, chair of the Downtown Barrie BIA, said in a statement. "Professional soccer belongs in the heart of a city, where the energy of the crowd spills onto the streets, restaurants fill before kickoff, patios stay busy after the final whistle, and the entire downtown becomes part of the experience. This is an incredible investment in Barrie's future."

Chris Shewfelt, vice president of business operations for MLSE, says while it was the partnerships his organization made that helped make the move possible, he was specifically impressed with the showing of kids at the announcement and what the club's presence locally will mean for the future of the game.

"That's really what our development team is all about," he told reporters. "[Youth programs like Barrie Soccer Club] need these kids thinking that they've got uh an avenue, right? Where is their opportunity for them to continue playing? So, Barrie has been on our radar for a long time.... and we needed a partner that was going to see the vision of soccer in this country."

Tuesday's announcement comes as soccer continues to grow in popularity surrounding the recent success of Canada's men's national team and the country co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The move will make Barrie home to its first professional soccer franchise and give local fans an opportunity to watch Toronto FC's top prospects without travelling to Toronto.

Shewfelt adds that the prospect of seeing future stars of MLS and various national teams should excite the Barrie community.

"This is where we can set roots long-term, and it's going to help our pathway," he said. "We're creating footballers for our first team, for national teams, [and] to go on to bigger and better things... all the kids coming through our program will have a great home here in Barrie."

Twenty players competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup had developed through MLS Next Pro, including six on Canada's squad.

Additional details about the stadium project, founding memberships, season tickets, sponsorship opportunities and community partnerships are expected to be announced in the coming months.

"We're always going to keep evolving," Raco said. "We have a lot of work to do. and we're hoping to build one of the best clubs in Canada."

Toronto FC II serves as Toronto FC's reserve team, developing young players before they move to Major League Soccer, the United States' top flight professional league, or Canada's national team programs.

Currently, the club plays its home games at York Lions Stadium on the campus of York University. When the club relocates to Barrie in 2028, it will continue competing in MLS Next Pro under a new name and new branding, which officials say will be revealed at a later date.