The Halifax Wanderers Football Club is expanding its Development Team program to introduce a full-time, year-round U18 team in Fall 2025. This U18 Development Team will focus on strengthening the player pathway for Atlantic Canadians.
Players will train and compete in a club-funded high-performance environment, including a focus on education and mentorship, while also attending showcases with the goal of progressing to post-secondary (U SPORTS/NCAA) soccer programs and ultimately, the Halifax Wanderers' first team in the Canadian Premier League. The Wanderers U18 Development team intends to compete in the Nova Scotia Soccer League Premier Men’s Division beginning in 2026.
“With our U21 program fully established after three seasons of continued growth, now is the time in our strategic plans to take this next step with the development of players at the age bracket below,” Wanderers sporting director Matt Fegan said. “We pride ourselves on the integration of development players across the club, training, and community projects. This program will continue to follow that same model. We have had some success so far with the progression of young players into first-team or higher education opportunities through football, but we want and need to do more. We remain committed to providing top Atlantic Canadian talent the best opportunity to nurture their skills to their full potential in their own region.”
Open tryouts for Wanderers U18 will begin on September 20, with the first of three sessions, followed by additional invite-only sessions in October. A final squad will begin work in November. Registration is open to any boys' soccer players born in 2008, 2009, or 2010, with priority given to those who reside in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, or Newfoundland & Labrador, and are willing to eventually relocate to Halifax once integrated into the development program. All high-performance trials are led by the Wanderers' first-team coaching staff.
“Our priority is to cast the net wide for the initial open trials, as a supplement to a core of young players we have already offered early integration around our U21s. Players are evaluated by our technical staff regardless of prior selection in clubs or provincial programs, to identify those who meet the standards we have set for our club environment.”
The Wanderers U18 Development Team program builds upon the Wanderers U21 Development Team, which offers elite training and competition for high-performance soccer players during the spring and summer. Wanderers U21 plays a full season of matches against a range of regional and international clubs, including the annual International Summer Series against teams from Europe.
The U21 squad is comprised of players from the four Atlantic Canadian Provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI and Newfoundland & Labrador), players involved in university soccer programs in Atlantic Canada (AUS), and players signed to Halifax Wanderers first-team contracts. Multiple players involved in the program have gone on to earn professional contracts, either with the Wanderers CPL team or abroad.