January 31, 2025...AFC Toronto Signs Canadian International Victoria Pickett (from AFC Toronto news release)

AFC Toronto Signs Canadian International Victoria Pickett
On Loan From North Carolina Courage

Midfielder returns to Toronto after four seasons in the National Women’s Soccer League

Toronto, ON (January 31, 2025) - AFC Toronto is proud to announce the signing of Canadian 
Women’s National Team midfielder Victoria Pickett from National Women’s Soccer League 
(NWSL) club North Carolina Courage on a season-long loan for an undisclosed fee.

The Barrie, Ont., native returns North eager to play a pivotal role in establishing AFC Toronto as 
one of the leading clubs in the Northern Super League and to be part of Canadian sport history.
Over the last two seasons, Pickett featured in 29 regular-season games for the Courage and 
appeared in eight cup competitions, including winning the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup. Before 
her chapter in North Carolina, she represented NJ/NY Gotham FC and Kansas City Current. 


Image: Victoria Pickett (94) dribbles the ball while being marked during an NWSL match against 
the Washington Spirit. Credit: Lewis Gettier/Image provided by North Carolina Courage.

“I am thrilled to sign with AFC Toronto and play a part in something legendary for future 
Canadian generations because the Northern Super League was far from overdue,” said Pickett 
on joining the club. “AFC Toronto’s vision for their project was extremely enticing to me, not only 
from a technical aspect on the field, but also their plans for community engagement, and to 
finally have a professional women’s soccer league come to fruition is fantastic.”

Signing with AFC Toronto gives Pickett another opportunity to play a leading role in developing
a new club from the ground up—something she succeeded in doing with Kansas City in 2021.
As the newest expansion franchise in the NWSL, the Current selected Pickett 15th overall in the 
NWSL Draft from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She became a statement player for the 
club, scoring the only goal for the franchise’s first-ever NWSL victory (1-0 over OL Reign) and 
being one of three finalists for the 2021 NWSL Rookie of the Year.

“I have played alongside some of the best players in the game and I’m hoping to lead by 
example with AFC Toronto,” added Pickett. “Thanks to my time with Kansas City, I understand 
what it means to go through a brand-new building process and establish something great. I can’t
wait to pull from my experiences in the NWSL and with Canada to give my all in this exciting 
new chapter.”

“Victoria is a fantastic addition to AFC Toronto. She has excelled in the NWSL, particularly with 
Kansas City, where she regularly played in central areas,” said Billy Wilson, AFC Toronto’s 
Sporting Director.

“She’s a player with pace and the ability to break lines, especially when driving with the ball. In 
possession, she’ll add an extra dimension to our midfield, while defensively, she’s relentless 
and dominant in 1-v-1 situations. Above all, Victoria is passionate about coming back to Canada 
to build this club and the league. She will bring so much to AFC Toronto, both on and off the 
field, and we’re delighted to welcome her home.”

The midfielder’s accolades also extend to the international stage, having represented Canada at 
the youth and senior level. 

Pickett notably participated in the U-17 and U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2015 Pan.American Games. 
Additionally, she won silver medals at the Concacaf Women's Under-17 Championship and the Concacaf Women’s 
Under-20 Championship. Pickett later made her full Canadian Women’s National Team debut against Mexico 
in November 2021.

Additional career accolades include being named the Big Ten Conference’s Freshman of the 
Year in 2015 and being a semi-finalist for the 2018 Hermann Trophy, an award honouring the 
collegiate national player of the year in the United States.

Additional pictures:

.
(left to right)
Victoria Pickett poses during a media session for North Carolina Courage. 
Credit: Image provided by player.
Victoria Pickett carries the ball forward during a game for the North Carolina Courage. 
Credit: Lewis Gettier/Image provided by North Carolina Courage.

...
(left to right)
Victoria Pickett pictured during a training session with Canada Soccer. 
Credit: Image provided by player.
Victoria Pickett (94) controls the ball while being marked during a game for North Carolina Courage. 
Credit: Lewis Gettier/Image provided by North Carolina Courage

AFC Toronto is eager to continue sharing exciting updates ahead of the Northern Super League 
kickoff in April. Supporters can expect additional announcements to arrive in the near future.

To keep up with AFC Toronto’s exciting updates, register for the club newsletter and follow AFC 
Toronto on Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin and TikTok.

About AFC Toronto
AFC Toronto is a founding club in the new Canadian women's professional soccer league, the
Northern Super League. The club is gearing up to deliver a top-tier experience for players, staff, 
and supporters in spring 2025. AFC Toronto is committed to uniting the community and inspiring
young women and girls to lead, develop, and excel. The club’s purpose is to not just build a 
football club but to also create a platform for girls and women to achieve greatness on their 
terms.

back to 2025 AFC Toronto menu

.

.