York United FC announced on Wednesday the signing of midfielder Luca Accettola to his first professional contract with the Nine Stripes
Accettola, 20, was selected by York United out of York University with the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2025 CPL-U SPORTS Draft last fall. He signed a CPL-U SPORTS Contract with the club in April and has since appeared five times for the club, scoring one goal.
The series of promising performances by Accetola led York United to sign the midfielder, a native of Vaughan, Ont., to a standard professional contract, guaranteed through 2026 with options for 2027 and 2028.
In signing this new agreement, Accettola was moved from the club’s development roster to its primary roster. He will not be eligible to return to U SPORTS competition while signed to a professional contract.
A composed and intelligent presence in midfield, Accettola has logged 278 minutes in the Canadian Premier League (CPL) this season. He scored his first goal in York’s recent 3-1 victory at Pacific FC on June 14. He boasts a passing accuracy of 83%, has completed two total shots, and has maintained strong discipline with zero bookings.
This signing marks an important step in Accettola’s journey and reflects York United’s ongoing commitment to developing local Canadian talent and creating opportunities for young players to grow within a professional environment.
York United also announced Wednesday that the club executed the 2026 option on defender Alexander Bergman’s contract, before loaning the defender to Estonian side Harju Jalgpallikool Laagri through 2025.
Harju Jalgpallikool Laagri, based in Laagri, competes in the Meistriliiga, the top tier of Estonian football. The six-month loan offers Bergman the opportunity to gain consistent first-team experience in a competitive European environment.
Bergman will remain under contract with the Nine Stripes through the 2026 season, with an option for 2027.