U of A sports teams kick off their seasons with home openers

In September, four teams will host their home opener for the 2026–27 Canada West Conference Season. Foote Field at the University of Alberta’s South Campus will be roaring with action on the pitch.

Last season, Bears’ football and Pandas’ soccer battled their way through the regular season. The Bears football team finished the season with a 1-7 record, with the majority of games being a close race. The Pandas soccer team wrapped up their season with a 4-6-4 win-tie-loss record, missing the playoffs by a couple of wins. The Bears soccer team competed in the Canada West playoffs but fell short with a 2-0 loss to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. The Pandas’ rugby 15’s team won bronze last season with a win over the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns.

Built in 2001, Foote Field is a 20-minute walk from North Campus, with public transit options taking 11 minutes by the Light Rail Transit (LRT) going south on the Capital Line or on bus number four. South Campus is also home to the Saville Community Sports Centre. Saville hosts Bears and Pandas basketball, volleyball, tennis, track and field and curling teams throughout the school year.

Golden Bears football new and returning faces

The Golden Bears begin their season at 6:30 p.m. on September 4 against the University of Regina Rams, with stellar talent coming back as well as promising talent joining the team. Over the summer, the Bears signed quarterback Christian Veilleux, a former NCAA starter. Joining the team is Ayden McDonald, who was noted as a top receiver recruit from British Columbia. Golden Bears captain and offensive lineman Matthew Ljuden will take the reins again. The Edmonton Elks selected him in the seventh round of the Canadian Football League draft. For defence, keep an eye out for returning linebacker Matteo Trasolini.

There will be lots of talent across the offence and defence this year. It will be exciting to watch the team evolve this year. Stevenson Bone returns as the head coach for his second season.

Pandas Soccer says goodbye to 13 players

The Pandas face the University of Saskatchewan Huskies during their noon opener on September 5. The Huskies and the Pandas were closely matched last season, with the Pandas winning 1-0 and losing 2-1 against the Huskies. This season will mark a first wave of fresh talent for both the athletes and the coaches.

Last year, 13 of the Pandas graduated. This means just under half of the roster will now be filled with new athletes. Keep an eye out for Tara Simonot and Makenna van der Veen, who tied for second with three goals each last season. Coach Kristyn Shapka left the program this year, and Golden Bear Bruno Zebie will take over as interim head coach for this season. Last season’s star goalkeeper Autumn Wynn will be joining the crew as an assistant coach.

Golden Bears soccer home opener

The Bears face their rivals, the University of Calgary Dinos, in their home opener this season at 2:15 p.m. on September 5. In the 2025 season, the Bears beat the Dinos 2-1 and 3-0. The Bears have a lot of talent to keep an eye on this year. Returning for his fourth year is Frankroy Cain. He ranked second on the roster last year in goals (three) and first in assists (three). Trystan Read also returns as goalkeeper in his second year and ranked fifth in Canada West in goals-against average last season.

With the majority of the starting lineup returning for this season, the combination of rookies and seasoned players will be a thrill to watch. Coach Martin Fenger-Anderson returns for his seventh season with the Bears as the roster gains seven new rookies this year. 

Panda’s rugby 15’s team’s home opener

Your Pandas are back in action for the 2026 rugby 15’s season at 6:00 p.m. on September 11 at Foote Field. The Pandas won bronze in Canada West last year, with a huge win against the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns in the semi-finals. That win marks three medals in the past four years. Their history is huge in U Sports. The University of Alberta Pandas have been competing at the varsity level for the last 27 years. They won five consecutive national titles from 1999 to 2005, and recently in 2013.

The Pandas are coached by Matt Parish, who has been with the Pandas from the start in 1999. Keep an eye out for Keira Skrenek, in her second year, who led in scoring last year with 27 points for the team. Just a reminder, the rugby 15’s season is short in comparison to other teams. With only four home games, you don’t want to miss out on the collective phenomenon that is the Pandas this year.