HAMILTON, Ont. — October 1, 2026 — Forge FC captain Kyle Bekker today announced his retirement from professional soccer, concluding one of Canada’s most iconic and respected playing careers, during which he became a defining figure in the Canadian Premier League (CPL).
Forge will celebrate Bekker’s career with supporters at its last home match of the regular season on Monday, October 12, when the club hosts Inter Toronto at Hamilton Stadium. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET.
Bekker will address media at 1:00 p.m. ET today in the Captain’s Lounge at Hamilton Stadium. Media planning to attend are asked to RSVP to ForgePR@forgefootball.club and arrive at 12:30 p.m. ET.
“When we started this journey in 2019, I don’t think I could have imagined what the next eight years would bring or how much this club and this city would come to mean to me,” said Kyle Bekker, Captain, Forge FC.
“Hamilton became home, and being trusted to captain Forge from day one is something I have never taken for granted. I’ve known for some time that this would be my final season, and I can close this chapter proud of what we built and the standards we established, knowing that we’ve left the shirt in a better place for the next generation. I look forward to celebrating these eight years with Hamilton on Oct. 12, and then turning our attention to everything our group still has in front of us this season.”
Bekker, 36, has been central to Forge’s rise from a new professional club to a top competitor in Canadian soccer, with sustained success in the CPL, the TELUS Canadian Championship, and Concacaf competitions. A commanding presence in midfield and a leader in the dressing room, he helped establish the standards that have defined Forge in Hamilton as well as in domestic and regional play, while demonstrating what the Canadian player pathway can offer local athletes: a place to compete, lead and build a lasting professional career at home.
“Kyle helped build this club and the CPL from day one,” said Scott Mitchell, Managing Partner & CEO, Hamilton Sport Group. “He believed in what Forge FC and the league could become, and he backed that belief with his play and leadership. His contribution to Forge and to the growth of professional soccer in Canada is lasting and we know that his impact will be felt for years to come.”
Bekker, a native of Oakville, Ontario, developed at the Sigma FC academy as a youth player, where he first worked with Forge Head Coach and Sporting Director Bobby Smyrniotis.
Bekker played four seasons of NCAA Division I soccer at Boston College from 2009 to 2012, appearing in 80 matches and establishing himself as one of the ACC’s top midfielders. A two-time First Team All-ACC selection and team captain as a senior, he recorded 17 goals and 22 assists during his collegiate career and still ranks second all-time in Boston College history in career assists.
Selected third overall by Toronto FC in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, Bekker spent four seasons in Major League Soccer with Toronto FC, FC Dallas and the Montreal Impact, making 58 regular-season appearances. He later played for the San Francisco Deltas and North Carolina FC before returning home in 2018 as the foundational signing for Forge ahead of the CPL’s inaugural season.
Bekker led the club to seven titles in seven years: four CPL championships in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023, and three as regular-season winners in 2021, 2024 and 2025. His tenure also included deep runs in domestic and international competition, reaching the Canadian Championship Final in 2020 and 2026 and the semifinals of the 2021 Concacaf League. Bekker captained Forge in six Concacaf competitions across eight countries, helping the club earn positive results against some of the region’s biggest clubs.
Bekker finishes his career with 239 appearances for Forge across all competitions, logging nearly 20,000 minutes while recording 27 goals and 32 assists. His 27 assists in CPL regular-season play rank second all-time in League history.
Individually, Bekker was named the CPL Player of the Year in 2020 and finished as runner-up for the award five times — in 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025. He has also been nominated for the Players’ Player of the Year in every season since the award was introduced in 2022.
“Kyle has been the heart and soul of Forge FC since the very beginning, living and leading us through so many of our biggest moments,” said Bobby Smyrniotis, Head Coach and Sporting Director, Forge FC. “But his impact goes beyond Forge — he’s been a standard-bearer for what it means to be a successful player in this league and in this country. Very few have accomplished what he has, and it has been an honour to watch him earn his many achievements.”
Bekker competed in 22 games for Forge in 2026 after he was sidelined early in the season following a testicular cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgery. He returned to the pitch in May before suffering a season-ending ACL injury during Forge’s TELUS Canadian Championship semifinal win over FC Supra du Québec in September. He was subsequently moved to Forge’s inactive roster ahead of last month’s roster freeze.
“It’s disappointing that Kyle won’t be out there with us for our final games of the season, but he’ll continue to make an impact as our club captain,” said Smyrniotis. “We’ll keep fighting, just as Kyle always has, and carry his example with us well beyond this year.”
Supporters can secure tickets now to celebrate Bekker and his legacy at Forge’s Oct. 12 match. Details of the in-stadium tribute will be announced closer to the match, with special giveaways, merchandise, guests and programming planned as part of the celebration.
Kyle Bekker — CPL career highlights
- Forge FC’s inaugural captain, serving from 2019 through 2026
- Four-time CPL champion: 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023
- CPL regular-season title winner: 2021, 2024 and 2025
- CPL Player of the Year: 2020
- Six CPL Player of the Year and four Players’ Player of the Year nominations through 2025
- 18 senior appearances for Canada; member of the 2013 and 2015 Concacaf Gold Cup squads
- 239 games for Forge (176 in CPL regular season; 12 in CPL Playoffs; 5 in CPL Finals, 15 in Concacaf League; 8 in Concacaf Champions Cup; 23 in Canadian Championship)
- 27 goals
- 32 assists