Vancouver Whitecaps sign Valter Sedin to MLS NEXT Pro contract

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps have signed Valter Sedin, son of local hockey legend Henrik Sedin, to a professional contract.

The Major League Soccer club announced Thursday that the 19-year-old midfielder has inked a deal with Whitecaps FC 2 of MLS NEXT Pro, a developmental league below Major League Soccer, through June 2028.

The agreement means he can be called up to the MLS team on a short-term agreement.

Sedin hails from Vancouver, where his dad played 17 years for the Canucks and is currently the NHL team’s co-president of hockey operations alongside his twin brother Daniel Sedin.

Valter Sedin joined the Whitecaps’ academy in 2020 and spent five years there before moving to Sweden in February 2025 to play for Hammarby IF’s U-17 team.

This summer, he helped Canada’s U-20 side qualify for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, marking the country’s first return to the tournament since 2007 when it served as host.

“Valter grew through our academy program before testing himself in Sweden,” Whitecaps sporting director Axel Schuster said in a release. 

“He is a young player who has always had the right mentality, and he did very well in helping Canada qualify for the U-20 World Cup. We look forward to continuing to work with him in his development.”

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The Whitecaps also strengthened the MLS team’s back line on Thursday, bringing centre back Sebastian Ramirez in on loan from Colombian side Fortaleza CEIF.

The loan agreement runs through June 2027 with an option to purchase the 20-year-old Colombian defender.

Ramirez came up through Fortaleza CEIF’s youth academy and has made 46 appearances for the club’s first team across all competitions, scoring three goals. 

“Sebastian is a young, defensively minded player who has emerged as a key contributor for Fortaleza,” Schuster said in a release. “He brings a strong balance of aggression and awareness to defensive situations, while also offering versatility across multiple positions.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2026.