Teenage defender Stefan Kapor rising up the ranks at Toronto FC

TORONTO - Stefan Kapor calls it "a dream come true."

The 16-year-old defender, who signed an MLS Next Pro contract with Toronto FC II in February, learned last week he will join the first team next year via a homegrown player contract that runs through 2029 with a club option for 2030.

"It's just surreal, but I know I have a lot of work to do," he said. "I've just been blessed."

The lanky defender is the 38th player — and second-youngest (after 15-year-old Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty in January 2020) — in club history to sign for the TFC first team from the academy.

First up for Kapor, however, is international duty with Canada at next month's FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. Kapor joins Richard Chukwu, Timothy Fortier and Elijah Roche from the TFC academy on the Canadian roster.

Toronto FC