Listen to this article
Estimated 2 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.
Winnipeg’s professional men’s soccer club, Valour FC, is suspending operations after this year’s season.
The club, which played in the Canadian Premier League, announced the decision in a statement on Friday, thanking fans, players and staff.
The club says it will fulfill contractual obligations toward players and staff until the end of the year. Then players under contract past the 2025 season will become free agents or return to parent clubs, the statement said.
Fans holding credits in their ticket accounts will receive full refunds and the club will contact account holders with details and next steps, according to the statement.
The Winnipeg-based team — owned by the Winnipeg Football Club, which runs the CFL’s Blue Bombers — has been on shaky ground for some time.
In April 2024, the football club reported that Valour had lost $1.25 million the previous year, noting the club’s finances continued to be uncertain.
In 2022, it reported a $950,000 loss from operating the soccer team.
The Canadian Premier League agreed to cover the club’s operating costs in 2024 with a loan, with a similar agreement in place this season.
