23-year-old becomes 10th WFC2 MLS NEXT Pro player to be signed to a first team contract
VANCOUVER, BC â Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Monday that the club has signed defender Nikola Djordjevic from the clubâs MLS NEXT Pro side Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) to an MLS contract through 2026, with club options for 2027 and 2028.
âNiko has earned his opportunity with the first team after an impressive season with WFC2,â said Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC sporting director. âHe is a versatile player who works hard defensively and knows when to step into the attack. Weâre excited to welcome Niko to the first team and look forward to supporting him as he continues to grow.â
Whitecaps FC defender Nikola Djordjevic
- 23 starts, 26 appearances, two goals, five assists during the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season with Whitecaps FC 2
- Started 35 of 38 appearances at Southern Methodist University from 2022 to 2024, recording two goals and 12 assists
- Captained the Mustangs during the 2024 NCAA season, starting all 21 matches while scoring one goal and adding five assists
- 2022 All-AAC Rookie Team
âSigning my first team contract with Whitecaps FC is a dream come true. Iâm extremely grateful to my family, coaches, and teammates who have helped me reach this point,â added Djordjevic. âI canât wait to give everything for this club and our supporters.â
Djordjevic, 23, was selected in the second round of the 2025 MLS SuperDraft with the 45th overall selection and was then signed to an MLS NEXT Pro contract with WFC2. Primarily being deployed as a fullback, the native of Austin, Texas started 23 of his 26 appearances during the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season, recording two goals and five assists.
Prior to being selected by the âCaps in the MLS SuperDraft, Djordjevic played at Southern Methodist University from 2022 to 2024. During that time, he started 35 of his 38 appearances and tallied two goals, as well as 12 assists. In his final season at SMU, he captained the Mustangs while starting all 21 matches, scoring one goal and adding five assists.
During his youth career, Djordjevic played a season with Austin based Capital City SC. In four seasons at Westwood High School, Djordjevic helped lead his team to two district runner-up finishes and two district championships. During that time, he scored 39 goals while totaling 40 assists and was named first-team all-region each year, as well as District Overall MVP as a sophomore and District Offensive MVP as a junior.
Djordjevic becomes the 10th WFC2 MLS NEXT Pro player to be signed to a first team contract, joining Ali Ahmed, Simon Becher, Levonte Johnson, Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau, Jeevan Badwal, Nelson Pierre, Liam Mackenzie, Rayan Elloumi, and Mark OâNeill.
TRANSACTION: On December 15, 2025, Whitecaps FC sign defender Nikola Djordjevic to an MLS contract. Djordjevic agrees to a contract through 2026, with club options for 2027 and 2028.âŻ
Nikola Djordjevic
Position: Fullback
Height: 5-09
Weight: 175 pounds
Date of Birth: November 14, 2002
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Citizenship: United States
Status: Domestic
University: Southern Methodist University
Previous Club: Whitecaps FC 2 (2025)
Youth Club: Capital City SC
