Richmond Hill Soccer Club Officially Joins League1 Ontario

Richmond Hill Soccer Club is proud to announce that it will be joining League1 Ontario as an official license holder beginning in the 2026 season. The Richmond Hill Raiders will be represented by teams competing on both the Men’s and Women’s sides in the League2 Division and League1 Reserves Division. This major expansion marks an exciting new chapter for the club and reflects our commitment to elevating the game in the region while providing a clear pathway for elite players to excel locally.

For nearly 60 years, Richmond Hill Soccer Club has proudly served the community by offering soccer programs from toddlers to adults. The addition of teams in League1 Ontario’s pro-am pathway is a historic step forward and will stand as the pinnacle of RHSC’s internal development structure, giving our players the chance to pursue their dreams at the highest levels of the game.

RHSC President, Pradeepta Chakravarti, shared his thoughts on this milestone:

“This is a proud and unforgettable day for Richmond Hill Soccer Club and our entire community. Our acceptance into the prestigious League1 Ontario family represents a strategic leap forward in our mission to develop elite players and elevate the game in our region. This milestone is the product of a clear vision, disciplined execution, and the relentless commitment of our athletes, coaches, and staff. Joining the League1 Ontario family is more than just a step up in competition - it’s a celebration of the passion, dedication, and unity that define our club. From the youngest players in our grassroots programs to our senior teams, every player, coach, volunteer, and supporter has played a part in making this dream a reality. League1 Ontario’s high performance environment will give our local talent the stage they deserve, sharpen our competitive edge, and strengthen our pathway to the professional and national levels - inspiring “Dare To Dream” for the next generation. Together, we are eager to contribute to the league’s reputation for excellence and to position Richmond Hill as a recognized hub for top tier soccer talent in Canada.”

General Manager & Technical Director, Mirco Schroff, echoed this sentiment:

“This is an exciting milestone for Richmond Hill Soccer Club. Being accepted into League1 Ontario provides our players with a clear pathway to senior competition while allowing us to strengthen our development model from grassroots through to the adult game. Our commitment has always been to create opportunities for players within our community, and this step ensures that the next generation can aspire to represent their hometown club at a higher level.”

The Raiders will play their home games at Richmond Green Park, the current home of the club’s High Performance Program, which is highlighted by several OPDL teams. Although the club has never been a full license holder in L1O, RHSC has spent five years as a guest club in the League1 Ontario reserve competitions. That program has proven successful, most notably with a strong third place finish in 2024.

The club's successful expansion application for the 2026 campaign was centered around building from this existing U20 League experience and talent pool, and a vision of creating an engaging gameday experience for the community. This gameday experience will feature Roary the Raider, RHSC’s new mascot, who was recently introduced at the House League End-of-Season Festival in August.

With this expansion, Richmond Hill Soccer Club takes its most significant step yet in becoming a destination for top-tier soccer talent in Canada, providing opportunities for the next generation to grow, compete, and dare to dream.