The Vancouver Whitecaps elected to cancel training on Wednesday after roughly half of the 75 or so players and staff reported “gastrointestinal symptoms” upon returning from their trip to Mexico City for the Conacacaf Champions Cup final. Depending how their recovery progresses, it’s possible MLS could elect to move Sunday’s game against the Seattle Sounders.
By all appearances, if this was food poisoning, it likely happened after their 5-0 loss to Cruz Azul and possibly on the way home, as those who weren’t on the team flight have apparently not been reporting symptoms.
But with nine players already missing Sunday’s game against the Seattle Sounders, the Whitecaps could be short-handed enough that playing a game isn’t entirely feasible. Talking to reporters on Thursday afternoon, Whitecaps GM Axel Schuster said they are currently in discussions about what can be done.
On call with Axel Schuster. Until the Whitecaps can see how training looks on Friday and Saturday and how many players would be deemed fit and healthy to go, no decision can be made around the Seattle game on Sunday. Discussions are ongoing with MLS. #VWFC
— AFTN (@aftn.bsky.social) 2025-06-05T21:42:37.572Z
The Whitecaps have 27 players signed to their first-team roster. There are nine players missing due to international duty, including several of their top players. As of Sunday, the only player listed as out with an injury was Ryan Gauld (knee). That would leave them with 17 healthy players, but four of those are goalkeepers, which knocks them down to 13 potentially available outfield players. Even not accounting for the illnesses, they’d be eligible to make two “extreme hardship” signings from Whitecaps 2 to bolster their roster. The MLS Roster Rules do not set a threshold for how many “extreme hardship” signings a team can make before a game can be moved.
