Pacific FC of the Canadian Premier League (CPL) will hold youth development camps in seven cities across Mexico as part of the club’s international youth training programs.

It will also launch the second phase of its Who Got Next? open trials, in Metepec, State of Mexico, offering aspiring soccer players in Mexico the opportunity to prove they have what it takes to join Pacific’s ranks.

The youth development camps will take place in Mexico City, Puebla, Ciudad Juárez, Querétaro, Aguascalientes, Metepec and Guadalajara and are open to male and female players born in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

“We are excited to have this international connection that provides us with the ability to assess talent from young players in Mexico,” said Paul Beirne, Managing Director, Pacific FC. “We are committed to our youth programming that now goes beyond Canadian borders.”

At each of the Mexican trial venues, between 10 and 16 youth players will be selected to travel to Victoria, where they will train at Pacific’s first-team facilities and participate in a tournament against Canadian teams. More details about the Canadian tournament will be announced in the coming months. While in Victoria, players will be introduced to The Football Academy, a youth soccer academy launched by Pacific and St. John’s Academy in Shawnigan Lake in 2023.

Pacific’s second phase of its Who Got Next? open trials will take place on Sunday, Dec. 8 at Territorio MDP in Metepec, State of Mexico.  The trials are designed to identify talented players from Mexico. Players must be older than 18 years old to participate.

Participants will be evaluated by Chris Merriman, assistant coach of the first team of Pacific FC, with the ultimate goal of earning an invitation to the club’s 2025 pre-season camp and potentially securing a professional contract.

This will be the second open trials Pacific has hosted in as many months. The club hosted its first Who Got Next? trial at Starlight Stadium in Langford from Nov. 13 to Nov. 15 of 2024.

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