The Halifax Wanderers have transferred Canadian striker Tiago Coimbra to IFK Göteborg in Sweden for a club record transfer fee.
Coimbra, 21, departs the Wanderers after three incredible seasons where his tireless work rate and finishing ability were on full display. He signed with Halifax as an 18-year-old ahead of the 2023 CPL season, going on to score 20 goals for the club and contributing six assists.
“Every young player dreams of getting a transfer to Europe. I’m excited, but it’s also bittersweet to be leaving Halifax,” Coimbra said. “The Wanderers was my first pro contract, and I’ve grown and matured a lot. I came here with a dream, and now I leave with experiences, growth and memories. I want to say thank you to the fans for always supporting the Wanderers and for supporting me from the teenager who joined the team to the person I am now."
In his final season with the Wanderers, Coimbra was named the CPL’s Best U21 Canadian Player after a spectacular 2025, during which he scored 12 goals in the regular season, tied for second-most in the league. That tally tied the single-season CPL record for most goals scored by a U-21 player. Coimbra also ranked first in goals per 90 minutes (0.87), setting a new league record for the highest goals-per-90 rate ever recorded by a CPL player with at least 500 minutes played. He also led all forwards in aerial duels won (50).
Coimbra’s standout play in Halifax earned him a call-up to the Canadian Men’s National Team in January 2026 for an international friendly against Guatemala. Coimbra would go on to appear as a second-half substitute in that match, a 1-0 victory for the Canadians.
“Its a true source of joy for me that our club has been able to help Tiago grow as both a young man and a footballer,” Halifax Wanderers Founder and Managing Partner Derek Martin said. “Our club’s ethos is uniting our community through sport, providing top-tier entertainment and giving young men a platform to achieve their dreams; so Tiago’s journey embodies the essence of that ethos. I am immensely proud of him and look forward to his continued growth both on and off the pitch.”
Born in Fortaleza, Brazil, Coimbra moved to Vancouver as a youth before returning to Brazil in 2020, eventually signing with top Brazilian side Palmeiras and featuring for the club’s U-17 and U-20 sides. Coimbra signed with the Wanderers ahead of the 2023 CPL season, developing under Halifax’s coaching staff and emerging as one of the Canadian Premier League’s top young players. Coimbra was also active in the Halifax community, committing his time to numerous events to interact with the Wanderers fanbase and local youth.
He departs the club as the Wanderers' 3rd-highest goal-scorer and most goals by a Canadian player. Coimbra also scored the first hat trick in Halifax Wanderers' history with his three-goal performance on August 21, 2025, against Valour FC.
IFK Göteborg are one of the largest football clubs in Sweden and currently competes in the country’s top division (Allsvenskan). They are 18-time Swedish champions and two-time winners of the UEFA Cup (now UEFA Europa League), the only Swedish club ever win a main UEFA competition.
The Wanderers would like to thank Tiago for his contributions to the club and the Halifax community during his time with the Wanderers and wish him well in this new chapter of his career.
