Canadian internationals Regan, Pickett set to usher in new era with AFC Toronto
Two Canadian internationals will be in the spotlight when AFC Toronto make their Northern Super League debut against visiting Montreal Roses FC on Saturday.
AFC Toronto made history prior to last Christmas with the signing of free agent Emma Regan.
Regan became the first current member of the Canadian women’s soccer team to sign with a Northern Super League club. Toronto added a second current Canadian international a month later when it secured fellow midfielder Victoria Pickett on a season-long loan from the North Carolina Courage of the U.S.-based National Women’s Soccer League.
Both Regan and Pickett are expected to feature prominently for AFC Toronto on Saturday when it hosts Montreal Roses FC at BMO Field in the NSL’s second-ever game. The Vancouver Rise earned a 1-0 win over Calgary Wild FC in the league’s inaugural match before a crowd of 14,018 at BC Place on Wednesday night.
“I’ll be playing at home in front of family and friends, and to be a part of a new league and Canadian sports history is huge. So, I’m really excited,” Pickett told Sportsnet.
For Pickett, a 28-year-old from Barrie, Ont., joining AFC Toronto represents a homecoming of sorts. She was selected 15th overall in the 2021 NWSL draft by the then-expansion Kansas City Current and was a finalist for the league’s rookie of the year award that same season. She was traded in 2022 to NJ/NY Gotham FC and dealt away again the following year to the Courage.
She spent the last two seasons with North Carolina, where she featured in 29 regular-season games and eight cup matches. Before that, she played NCAA soccer for the University of Wisconsin, so she has spent her entire collegiate and professional career in the United States.
“Honestly, it was always a dream to play pro in Canada. When I was drafted, the (Northern Super League) wasn’t established. The idea of it wasn’t even discussed. At the time, there was really only the NWSL, the Mexican League and the other European leagues. So, to finally have a league on Canadian soil is fantastic. It’s great for women’s sports in Canada and especially considering how successful the Canadian national team is, to not even have a league was outrageous,” Pickett said.
“So, I think to finally have this in place is going to be massive for player development of the senior team … It’s a fantastic opportunity to keep talented Canadian players in Canada.”
Pickett played for Canada at the U-17 and U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cups and the 2015 Pan-American Games. She also won silver medals at the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship and the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship before making her full senior team debut in a friendly against Mexico on Nov. 27, 2021. She played the full 90 minutes in that match and earned two more caps while coming off the bench.
Her last appearance for Canada came on Feb. 17, 2022, under former coach Bev Priestman. She’s hopeful that this move to the NSL will earn a recall from the national team by new coach Casey Stoney.
“I think they’re going to be the club to help propel me forward. … I’m just going to be giving it my absolute all so I can get called in again because I just know that my journey is not done yet with the national team. I want to continue to be able to represent Canada,” Pickett said.
Regan, a 25-year-old from Burnaby, B.C., was a standout NCAA player at Texas, scoring four goals and tallying six assists in 90 appearances as a four-year starter with the Longhorns. She captained the team from 2020 to 2022, leading it to a Big 12 Championship in 2022, while also earning All-Big 12 honours in 2019, 2021, and 2022.
She turned pro in 2023 when she signed with HB Køge and ended up spending two seasons in Denmark before her contract expired late last year. On Thursday, she was officially named AFC Toronto’s first-ever captain.
Regan never thought she’d have the opportunity to play pro soccer in Canada.
“I think a lot of us Canadian players maybe didn’t want to get our hopes up about a Canadian League. The closest to home you could play is the [NWSL], and they have a very competitive league there. I wanted to experience living in Europe and playing in Europe, and I really wanted the taste for that over here, which I got, and I’ve absolutely loved,” Regan told Sportsnet.
“There’s been opportunities for Canadians in the U.S. to go to college, and overseas to some smaller countries like Denmark, who have pretty good established leagues. But I think it’s just time that Canada kind of catches up with that. And I really didn’t think it would be possible to play professionally at home. But I’m so happy that the NSL is here, and I’m really thankful to all the players that came before me that are pushing for this and pushing soccer forward enough that we can be at this point today.”
With HB Køge, Regan made 32 appearances while playing in different midfield roles and scoring three goals as she helped the team win a league title.
Regan looks back at her time in Denmark with great fondness and with gratitude for HB Køge, as her two-year stint there allowed her to grow as a young player at the beginning of her club career. But it was time for her to move on.
“I just started kind of thinking about what was next and thinking about my next steps. AFC Toronto reached out and was showing interest, and I was really encouraged by all of our talks with the coaching staff and the sporting director. I think their values, their vision for the club is something that I really want to be a part of,” Regan explained.
“As a player at this stage in my career, I’m really looking for a team that’s going to be a really competitive training environment, a professional club somewhere that I’m going to be able to push myself and develop. And that’s exactly what (AFC coach Marko Milanovic) wants for AFC Toronto. The style of play, playing a nice possession style of play, that was something that attracted me.”
Prior to signing with AFC Toronto, Regan accumulated four caps for Canada since making her international debut in 2018. She’s become a regular contributor for Canada under Stoney since her move to the NSL, winning universal praise for her solid performances as a two-way midfielder.
Regan was the only current member of the Canadian women’s team to have signed on with an NSL team when she joined AFC Toronto. Yet, Regan downplayed her place in league history, saying she doesn’t “need any of the headlines that come” with the distinction.
“I think there’s probably a bit of responsibility on all of us players that are signing in the league, to really represent Canada and represent Canadian soccer in a very positive way, especially to young girls that are potentially looking up to us, that are looking to play for the national team or professionally one day,” Regan said.
“I try not to really focus too much on the external and I’m just really grateful for the opportunity. I think that it’s going to be a great opportunity for me to further my game as well, as well as potentially further soccer in Canada, and I’m just excited to be a part of the project.”
