Forge FC announced Monday that club captain Kyle Bekker is remaining in Hamilton, after signing a new contract that will keep him with the Hammers for multiple further seasons.
Bekker, 34, has been Forge’s captain since their inaugural season in 2019, having been named one of the club’s first-ever players in November 2018. Since then, he has gone on to make 182 appearances for Forge, contributing 22 goals and 29 assists. Bekker has led the Hamilton club to four CPL championships as well as a regular season title in 2024, also captaining them in high-profile Canadian Championship, Concacaf League and Concacaf Champions Cup matches.
He has been nominated for the CPL’s Player of the Year award five times, winning the honour in 2020, and in 2023 Bekker was also the runner-up for the Players’ Player of the Year award. His 25 career CPL assists is second-most all-time, and he has also made the second-most regular season appearances with 135.
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“Kyle has been the heart and soul of Forge FC since the very beginning,” said Forge head coach Bobby Smyrniotis. “His leadership on and off the pitch has been a cornerstone of our club’s identity and success. Kyle’s unwavering commitment to the growth of Forge and the sport in our community continues to inspire us. We look forward to achieving even greater heights together in the years ahead.”
The native of Oakville, Ont. arrived in the CPL as one of its foundational players after a strong career spanning across North America, including stints in Major League Soccer with Toronto FC — where he made his professional debut — as well as FC Dallas and CF Montréal.
Bekker won an NASL championship in 2017 with the San Francisco Deltas before playing a year with North Carolina FC and then finally joining Forge. Prior to his professional career, Bekker played in Bobby Smyrniotis’ Sigma FC youth academy.
On the international stage, Bekker has made 18 appearances for the Canadian men’s national team, earning his debut in 2013 against Denmark and playing for Canada at both the 2013 and 2015 Concacaf Gold Cups.
With confirmation that Bekker is staying in Hamilton for a seventh campaign, Forge now have 13 players officially signed for the 2025 season. They’re likely to announce several more moves in the next couple of weeks as the club continues preseason training ahead of their Concacaf Champions Cup tie against CF Monterrey in early February.