MLS NEXT Pro side Toronto FC II set to relocate to city of Barrie for 2028-2029 season

Professional soccer is coming to Barrie, as it was announced on Tuesday that MLS NEXT Pro side Toronto FC II would relocate to the city for the 2028-2029 season. 

Thanks to the creation of a new stadium in downtown Barrie, one that is projected to hold 3500 fans, the city will be able to welcome Toronto FC’s affiliate side once that facility is officially built in 2028.

As part of the deal, Toronto FC II will be rebranded to a name that will be announced at a later date, with the club for now announced as “Barrie MLS NEXT Pro”, as this side will carry independent branding despite their affiliation with Toronto. 

For those unfamiliar with MLS NEXT Pro, it is the league for Major League Soccer’s affiliate sides, although there are also three independent sides, a number which will balloon to seven in 2027, with four new independent sides set to join next year. 

Toronto FC wouldn’t be the first team to put their affiliate side in a new city, either, as Nashville SC’s MLS NEXT Pro side, Huntsville City FC, plays in Huntsville, Alabama, which offers a parallel situation of how this Barrie side should operate. Several other teams, meanwhile, have their teams in nearby suburbs, so it’s not as if this Barrie side is entering uncharted territory with this announcement.

For the city of Barrie itself, though, this is huge news, as they’ve become a hotbed for soccer in recent years. In particular, you have to credit the work done by the Simcoe County Rovers, who have found success with their men’s and women’s clubs in the Ontario Premier League, with their men’s team winning the league in 2023 and competing in the Canadian Championship in 2024, and their women’s team winning the league in 2025 and winning the inter-provincial Cup later that year.

Perhaps, the creation of this team can offer more of a pathway for players from the Simcoe County Rovers men’s side, and other top players in the Ontario Premier League, to move to MLS NEXT Pro, given that it expands TFC’s footprint in the Greater Toronto Area. 

And, from a Canadian perspective, you can’t help but wonder if the model of Barrie’s stadium is something that can be replicated in other cities, as there is a lack of similar mid-size venues in the country, which has made it hard for professional soccer to grow. Perhaps, if Barrie can have some success with this facility, it’ll encourage other cities to build similar venues to attract Canadian Premier League, Northern Super League and MLS NEXT Pro teams in the future. 

“Today marks the beginning of a new era for Barrie," said Peter Raco, President and CEO of Barrie MLS NEXT Pro and Barrie Stadium Group, in a statement. "We are creating one of North America's most intimate and iconic soccer stadiums in the heartbeat of Barrie, while delivering a gathering place that the entire community can be proud of for generations. Barrie is not only welcoming professional soccer through a partnership with Toronto FC and MLS NEXT Pro, but we are also taking another major step toward becoming one of Canada's great sports communities.”

For now, though, Barrie will focus on making sure this MLS NEXT Pro launch goes as smoothly as possible, ensuring that all goes as planned when they kick off in 2028. 

“MLS NEXT Pro is designed to accelerate player development while helping build vibrant soccer communities," said Ali Curtis, President of MLS NEXT Pro and EVP, MLS Sporting Development in a statement. "Barrie represents the type of ambitious community that we want to partner with - one that is investing in world-class infrastructure, embracing the sport at every level, and creating an environment where players, fans, and the community can thrive. We are excited to welcome Barrie to the league."