Pacific FC has signed local midfielder Sami Keshavarz to his first professional contract, which will see the native of Saanich, British Columbia remain with the club through the 2026 Canadian Premier League season, with an option for 2027.

Keshavarz, 18, previously signed development contracts with Pacific in 2023 and 2024, which allowed him to appear in a pre-set number of matches for the Tridents while maintaining his amateur status and the ability to train with the amateur team that held his registration. His pathway to Pacific saw Keshavarz spend time with the Trident Development and Vancouver Island (VI) Wave programs, among other local grassroots clubs.

Keshavarz’s progression is an example of Pacific’s mandate to both develop local players through its Powered by Pacific programming and provide a pathway to professional opportunities for members of Vancouver Island’s soccer community.

“Sami is a fantastic example of our club’s mission to develop local players and he deserves this opportunity to sign his first professional contract,” said James Merriman, Head Coach, Pacific FC. “We have seen firsthand how he has developed while training in both our youth academy and first-team environments over the past two seasons. He was able to impact matches as a player on a development contract last year. We are happy for Sami, and we believe in his potential.”

A recent graduate of Claremont Secondary School in Saanich, B.C., Keshavarz debuted with the Tridents in June 2024. He made his first start for the club in September 2024, playing a full 90 minutes, winning four duels, creating two chances, and tallying one shot on goal. In total, Keshavarz logged 375 minutes across eight overall matches in 2024, spanning two development contracts.

 Current 2025 Pacific FC Roster as of December 17:

Goalkeepers: Emil Gazdov, Sean Melvin

Defenders: Christian Greco-Taylor, Aly Ndom

Midfielders: Sean Young, Sami Keshavarz

Forwards: Dario Zanatta, Josh Heard