On Tuesday, Valour FC announced the signing of Canadian forward Jevontae Layne to a CPL-U SPORTS contract ahead of the 2025 Canadian Premier League (CPL) season.
Layne, 23, was the headliner for the 2025 CPL-U Sports Draft class last December, when he was selected first overall by Valour FC and became the 100th all-time pick in CPL-U SPORTS Draft history. He joins the club after spending one season with Toronto Metropolitan University in 2024. In his singular season with the Falcons, Layne notched 10 goals in 11 games and was later named an OUA East Second Team All-Star.
A CPL-U SPORTS contract allows student athletes the unique opportunity to gain professional experience while maintaining their eligibility to compete at the Canadian university level. Previous CPL-U SPORTS success stories include Gianfranco Facchineri, who started out with Valour on a CPL-U Sports contract in 2024 after he was selected in the 2023 iteration of the draft. Facchineri went on to sign a professional contract with the club in December 2024.
“We are looking forward to seeing Jevo progress in our environment,” said Phillip Dos Santos, Head Coach and General Manager, Valour FC. “He has had six good weeks with the team and showed he has the qualities to play in this league. His commitment and work ethic will always allow him to be a dangerous forward.”
The Canadian joins the Canadian Premier League’s Winnipeg side with significant experience at the League1 level under his belt. Layne played with ProStars FC and Scrosoppi FC in 2021 and 2022, respectively, before spending the next two seasons with Simcoe County Rovers FC in 2023. He was named league League1 Ontario Forward of the Year and First Team All-Stars Last season.
Valour kicks off its 2025 CPL campaign on Saturday, April 5, with a visit to Pacific FC in Langford, BC. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. CT and the match will be broadcast live on OneSoccer, the dedicated home for soccer in Canada.
The squad will return to Winnipeg for its home opener in Matchweek 4 of the CPL season, when it hosts the Halifax Wanderers on Friday, April 25. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. CT.