After the success of their first Downtown Derby in 2025, Pacific FC are playing four matches at the Royal Athletic Park in central Victoria this season.
The second of those, on Sunday, May 3 (6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT), will see British Columbia rivals Vancouver FC cross the Salish Sea for the first time in 2026.
By Matchweek 5, both Pacific and Vancouver should be starting to ramp up to speed in their seasons, and they'll be raring to go for a derby matchup.
Last time these sides met in downtown Victoria, the sell-out crowd was not disappointed; Aly Ndom's 94th-minute equalizer gave the host Tridents a well-earned point.
These clubs met five times last year — once in the Canadian Championship and four times in CPL play — and there was little to separate them. The B.C. foes played to three draws, including a 4-4 spectacle, while Vancouver won the CanChamp tie on penalties and Pacific took three road points in August.
Most of these derby clashes over the years have been entertaining affairs, with plenty of goals from either side. This year, the rivalry will pit the likes of Alejandro Díaz and Kadin Chung — both former VFC players — against Vancouver's young stars, like Thierno Bah and Emrick Fotsing.
Both rosters feature plenty of local flavour, after both clubs have nurtured local talent
Plus, a Sunday afternoon match in Victoria could offer a decent opportunity for VFC fans from Langley to make the trip over.
