The Halifax Wanderers have signed Canadian/New Zealand defender Finn Linder to a contract through the 2026 Canadian Premier League Season with club options for 2027 and 2028.
From Calgary, Alta., Linder spent the past six years in the Vancouver Whitecaps system, signing with the Whitecaps Academy in 2020. He made his first team debut for the club during the 2024 season in an international friendly against Wrexham AFC. During his time in Vancouver, Linder worked closely with current Wanderers head coach & general manager Vanni Sartini.
“Finn is a great player and young man who possesses all the qualities of a modern centre-back, and I'm excited to have him join the Wanderers,” Wanderers head coach and general manager Vanni Sartini said. “He has incredible pace for a player of his height and can defend centrally and wide. When we have the ball, he's very good at dribbling forward and contributing to the buildup.”
A centre-back with a strong aerial presence and distribution, Linder has been a key player for Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 since the club joined MLS Next Pro, making 45 appearances and scoring twice. He has also represented New Zealand at the U-20 and U-23 levels. Linder played for New Zealand at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina.
“I’m very excited to be signing with the Wanderers; I’ve known Vanni for nearly five years, and I’m really excited to have the opportunity to work with him again and apply what I’ve learned from him in Vancouver on the pitch in Halifax,” Linder said. “I’ve heard only great things about the community, fanbase and overall culture of the city, and I can’t wait to get on the pitch at the Wanderers Grounds for the first time.”
Linder joins an experienced returning Wanderers backline that includes Jefferson Alphonse, Thomas Meilleur-Giguere and Kareem Sow. Halifax made its first new player signing for the 2026 season in December, adding two-time Goalkeeper of the Year Marco Carducci on a two-year contract.