Brampton Soccer Stars joined by Beckie in L1O Ownership

Gold Medal winning Canadian International Janine Beckie, currently with Manchester City in England’s Women’s Super League, has joined Brampton soccer stars Cyle Larin and Doniel Henry in buying into an ownership stake of League 1 Ontario‘s Simcoe County Rovers.

Former Canadian international Julian DeGuzman has been actively recruiting fellow internationals to invest as the President and Managing Partner of Simcoe County Rovers. The Rovers were founded in October 2020 and kicked off in their inaugural season in 2021.

Beckie was quoted as saying:

“If we want the sport to continue to grow in our country, young girls have to see their idols and their peers playing the game at a high level,” she said. “And although (Rovers) is not the highest level that we want to see in the country yet, it’s a stepping stone.”

Janine Beckie, Canadian National Team & Manchester City speaking to Laura Armstrong of the Toronto Star

Seeing Canadian professional players investing back in Canadian soccer is uplifting. Not just because it’s beneficial to the sport in Canada, but also because it serves as an indication of the level of success young Canadian’s are achieving across the globe.

And while this is exciting one does wonder why so many professional players, products of Brampton’s soccer community, are investing in clubs, not just outside Brampton, but outside of Peel Region? Hutchinson, Larin and Henry are just a sampling of Brampton soccer stars that have recently invested in a club ownership stake in other regions.

Will anyone step up and invest in a professional or semi-professional team somewhere in Peel? And if so, who could it be?

Ultimately the recent surge of Canadian professional footballers, current and former, investing in bringing professional and semi-professional soccer to Canada is very encouraging as we gear up to host games for the 2026 World Cup.

Laura Armstrong of the Toronto Star broke the news via Twitter earlier today.

NEW: #CanWNT/#CanXNT forward Janine Beckie joins League1 Ontario side Simcoe County Rovers FC as minority owner.
A semi-pro club with professional aspirations, @janinebeckie sees @RoversFC_L1O a "stepping stone" towards a pro women's league in Canada.https://t.co/mKdEN3Fc0I

— Laura Armstrong (@lauraarmy) January 13, 2022