With a celebrated career spanning continents and marked by historic championships, Afshin Ghotbi is taking on one of his most ambitious projects yet: shaping the future of Canadian football as the inaugural Head Coach of Vancouver FC. In a league primed for explosive growth ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ghotbi is not merely coaching a team, he’s architecting a football club from the ground up.
Crafting a Club from Scratch
Renowned for his strategic brilliance and talent for inspiring teams, Ghotbi has embraced the challenge of leading what he calls a “football startup.” When he arrived, Vancouver FC existed only as a bold vision: no players, no staff, no facilities. This blank slate allowed him to instill his philosophy from day one, fostering a culture of ambition, resilience, and tactical discipline.
This role goes beyond coaching, it’s about defining the club’s identity. Drawing on his experience transforming teams into champions, Ghotbi’s goal is clear: to establish Vancouver FC as a perennial powerhouse in the Canadian Premier League and a model for professional football across North America.
Nurturing the Next Generation of Stars
At the heart of Ghotbi’s mission is youth development. Vancouver FC has intentionally assembled one of the youngest professional squads globally, giving rising talent a platform to gain invaluable experience. Players as young as 16 are immersed in a high-performance environment, learning the mindset and skills required to succeed at the professional level.
Ghotbi balances this youthful energy with the expertise of seasoned internationals from leagues in Mexico and Brazil. These veteran players mentor younger teammates, accelerating development while embedding a winning mentality. This approach ensures Vancouver FC is not just competitive today but is also building the stars of Canadian football for the future.
A Global Vision and Open Doors
Understanding Canada’s diverse talent pool, Ghotbi has opened doors to gifted young players, particularly from the Iranian-Canadian community, who aspire to a professional career. The club actively scouts and develops undiscovered talent, offering trial opportunities for ambitious players ready to compete at the highest level.
Ghotbi’s vision is also international. He has expressed ambitions to bring elite players from the Iranian national team to Vancouver, combining his storied past with a bold, forward-looking strategy that elevates the team and the league.
Under Afshin Ghotbi’s leadership, Vancouver FC is more than a club, it’s a legacy in the making. With a focus on building, inspiring, and winning, the team represents a new era of Canadian football, where vision, talent, and ambition meet on the world stage.
