HISTORY REPEATS. LEGACY GROWS. Langley United Becomes the First Club to Capture Back-to- Back BCPL Championships
HISTORY REPEATS. LEGACY GROWS.
Langley United Becomes the First Club to Capture Back-to-Back BCPL Championships
A Century of Community. A Future Without Limits. Langley, British Columbia — There was a time when young soccer players believed they had to leave their community to pursue the highest levels of the game.
Langley United Soccer Association is proving the opposite.
By capturing an unprecedented second consecutive British Columbia Premier League (BCPL) Men’s Championship, Langley United has become the first club in league history to win back-to-back provincial titles—earning a return to the 2027 TELUS Canadian Championship and reinforcing Langley’s place as one of Canada’s emerging soccer communities.
For a club celebrating its Centennial in 2026, this achievement represents far more than another championship.
It is the continued validation of a vision that has been decades in the making.
A Pathway Built Over 100 Years
For nearly a century, Langley United has been developing players, coaches, referees,
volunteers and community leaders through the beautiful game.
Today, those same community roots are producing provincial champions.
As Canada continues to ride the momentum created by hosting the FIFA World Cup, soccer has never held a stronger place in our national conversation. Across the country, young athletes are dreaming bigger than ever before.
Here in Langley, those dreams now have a pathway.
From grassroots soccer through BCPL competition and onto the national stage, players no longer need to leave their community to pursue excellence. They can develop within a club that provides opportunities at every stage of the journey.
This championship is not the beginning of that pathway.
It is proof that it works.
Returning to the National Stage
Earlier this spring, Langley United proudly represented British Columbia in its first-ever appearance at the TELUS Canadian Championship, facing Canadian Premier League side Vancouver FC in a historic Centennial match that showcased just how far this community club has come.
While our campaign ended against an outstanding professional opponent, the experience only strengthened the belief that community soccer in Langley belongs on Canada’s biggest stages.
Now, just months later, Langley United has once again earned that opportunity.
By securing a second consecutive BCPL Championship, the club will return to the TELUS Canadian Championship next spring—an accomplishment that reflects consistency, culture and sustained excellence rather than a single remarkable season.
One appearance introduced Langley United to the national stage.
Two consecutive qualifications establish our place there.
Built by People
Championships are never won by one person.
They are built through years of commitment from coaches, volunteers, families, sponsors and thousands of young players who proudly wear the Langley United crest every season. Behind this success is a leadership group committed to building something much larger than a winning team.
Under the technical direction of Mark Parker, Langley United has established one of British Columbia’s strongest player development pathways, connecting grassroots soccer with high-performance opportunities that continue to produce outstanding athletes and exceptional young people.
That vision has been brought to life on the field by Assistant Technical Director and BCPL Head Coach Azad Palani, whose leadership, professionalism and belief in the club’s culture have now guided Langley United to consecutive BCPL Championships. His ability to develop players while fostering a resilient, selfless team environment has become a defining strength of the program.
Supporting that vision is Executive Director Marcel Horn, whose commitment to strategic growth, community partnerships, governance and long-term sustainability continues to strengthen the foundation upon which Langley United’s next century will be built.
Together, they represent what community soccer can achieve when technical excellence, leadership and vision work toward a common purpose.
More Than a Trophy
The significance of this championship extends well beyond the standings.
It reflects a community that believes in youth.
It reflects parents who volunteer countless hours.
It reflects coaches who invest in developing people before players.
It reflects local government, partners and supporters who continue to invest in facilities
and opportunities that allow young athletes to thrive.
With the opening of Smith Athletic Park and the continued growth of Langley’s soccer
community, the future has never looked brighter.
Thousands of children will step onto those fields over the coming years.
Many will simply fall in love with the game.
Some will discover a lifelong passion.
And a few may one day follow the same pathway that has now carried Langley United to back-to-back provincial championships and consecutive appearances on Canada’s national stage.
Quotes
“Winning championships is never the objective on its own. Championships are the outcome of consistently investing in people, player development and creating the right environment for young athletes to grow. This achievement belongs to every coach, volunteer, family and player who has contributed to Langley United over the past century.”
— Mark Parker, Technical Director
“This group has embraced everything that defines Langley United—hard work, humility, accountability and belief in one another. To guide this team to back-to-back championships is incredibly rewarding, but what makes me proudest is watching our players continue to develop as people while representing this community with class.”
— Azad Palani, Assistant Technical Director & BCPL Head Coach
“Last year we proved we could compete. This year we proved we could sustain excellence. Those are two very different accomplishments. Our Centennial has never been about looking back—it’s about honouring those who built this club while creating opportunities for the next generation. If today’s young players believe their biggest soccer dreams can begin right here in Langley, then we’ve accomplished something far greater than winning another championship.”
— Marcel Horn, Executive Director
Looking Ahead
Back-to-back BCPL Champions.
Two consecutive qualifications for the TELUS Canadian Championship.
A permanent home at Smith Athletic Park.
A thriving partnership with Vancouver FC.
And thousands of young players beginning their own journey every season.
For Langley United, this is not the culmination of a remarkable year.
It is the foundation for the next century.
Langley United Soccer Association
A Century of Community.
A Future Without Limits.
Media Contact
Marcel Horn
Executive Director – BCPL Program
Langley United Soccer Association
E: mhorn@lusa.ca
P: 604-816-3715
W: www.lusa.ca
