Captain Kyle Bekker, 'heart and soul' of Forge FC, signs new contract with CPL powerhouse

Captain Kyle Bekker, a four-time nominee for the Canadian Premier League player of the year and the award winner in 2020, has signed a multi-year contract to stay at Forge FC.

The 34-year-old midfielder from Oakville, Ont., has been ever-present as the Hamilton-based side won CPL titles in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. Forge was runner-up in 2021 and 2014.

"Kyle has been the heart and soul of Forge FC since the very beginning," Bobby Smyrniotis, Forge's head coach and sporting director, said in a statement. "His leadership on and off the pitch has been a cornerstone of our club's identity and success. Kyle's unwavering commitment to the growth of Forge and the sport in our community continues to inspire us. We look forward to achieving even greater heights together in the years ahead."

Bekker was also nominated for the league's player of the year award 2019, 2022, and 2024.

Also Monday, York United FC acquired midfielder Gabriel Bitar from Vancouver FC, with York sending its first-round pick in the 2026 CPL-U Sports draft the other way.

The Lebanese international has signed a two-year contract with York that runs through the end of 2026.

Vancouver trimmed its roster by declining 2025 contract options on defenders Kadin Chung and Anthony White and midfielders Renan Garcia, Olivier Rommens and Zachary Verhoven. The club also announced that free agent defender Rocco Romeo and attacker Austin Ricci will not return to the club in 2025.

The Vancouver club now has 12 players signed to its 2025 roster.

Bekker ranks second in Forge appearances with 182 games across all competitions, with 22 goals and 29 assists.

Before joining the CPL team, Bekker played in 58 Major League Soccer regular-season games from 2013 to 2016 with Toronto