Vancouver Whitecaps FC, abbreviated as "Whitecaps", was established in 2009 and is a professional soccer club based in Vancouver, Canada.
The team was originally named "Whitecaps" in 1974, inspired by the white waves and snowy mountain scenery of the Vancouver coast. The team won the North American Soccer League championship in 1979. After the North American Soccer League ceased operations in 1984, the team reformed under the name "Vancouver 86ers" and won the championship four times during the Canadian Soccer League era.
After the name "Whitecaps" was reactivated in 2000, the team gradually became a strong contender in lower-tier leagues in North America. In 2011, the team returned to the top league as the second Canadian team in MLS, making its debut with a 4-2 victory over Toronto FC. In 2012, it became the first Canadian team to qualify for the MLS playoffs, and in 2015, it won the Canadian Championship and earned a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League.