Ryan Reynolds called upon by ex-MLS star to buy Vancouver Whitecaps as franchise linked with move

The Whitecaps revealed on Monday that 'no viable offer has emerged that would keep the club here' -Credit:Elizabeth Ruiz Ruiz/Getty Images

Reynolds has co-owned Welsh soccer team AFC Wrexham since 2021, guiding the club to the brink of Premier League promotion after an extraordinary rise from the fifth tier of English soccer. His remarkable achievements have captured widespread admiration, and he has previously spoken about his desire to own a team closer to his roots.

The Deadpool star told Jimmy Fallon in 2022 that he was interested in buying the Ottawa Senators of the NHL, but needed a "sugar daddy" to help with a consortium bid. That takeover never came to fruition, though notably, the actor is from Vancouver, Canada.

Following the alarming reports surrounding the Whitecaps, former MLS player Sacha Kljestan issued a plea to Reynolds on X. "Hey @VancityReynolds I've got an idea. Since you've got all this experience as a football club owner now... buy the club in your own backyard and keep them in Vancouver," he wrote, as per The Mirror US.

On Monday, multiple reports emerged that investment groups had approached Vancouver, looking to relocate the franchise to Las Vegas or Phoenix. Any such drastic move would require investors to pay a relocation fee, and any acquisition would need MLS ownership approval.

The Whitecaps subsequently released a stark statement in response to the reports, acknowledging that no viable offer to remain in Vancouver had been submitted by any ownership group. "We are aware of today's reporting," the club said in a statement.

"The club has faced well-documented structural challenges around stadium economics, venue access, and revenue limitations that have made it difficult to attract buyers committed to keeping the team in Vancouver.

"Over the past 16 months, we have had serious conversations with more than 100 parties, and to date, no viable offer has emerged that would keep the club here. It remains the strong preference of this ownership group to find a solution in Vancouver.

"If there is a local ownership group with the vision and resources to chart a path forward, we urge them to come forward."

In December 2025, the Whitecaps and the city of Vancouver inked a memorandum of understanding to begin an exclusive negotiation window until Dec. 31, 2026. The original proposal involved transforming Hastings Park into a new sports hub, but neither party has provided comment since discussions commenced.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has subsequently revealed interest in attracting a Major League Baseball franchise to the city, but has provided no additional updates on the Whitecaps. MLS has not had a team relocate since 2006.