Toronto, ON (June 30, 2025) - AFC Toronto is proud to announce the signing of Canadian forward Lauren Rowe. The 20-year-old joins the club from North Toronto Soccer where the forward has accumulated seven goals and 12 assists in just 10 games.

The Newfoundland-native had a standout collegiate career at Cape Breton University. In 2024, she scored game-winning goals in both the AUS semifinal and final, earning MVP honours in the championship match. At U SPORTS Nationals, she continued her clutch performances, scoring the decisive goal and being named MVP of the quarterfinal, while leading all playoff participants with 6.5 shots per game. Rowe’s resilience and leadership were also recognized with CBU’s Kathy Reid Memorial Award, and she was honoured as the AUS Play of the Year.

“Lauren came to our attention through her performances in League1 Ontario with North Toronto. She's been training with us for the past month and has been great in our environment. She is a very direct player who possesses electric pace and enjoys taking on players head-to-head,” said Billy Wilson, AFC Toronto Sporting Director. “As a player from Newfoundland, her journey to this point has been a lot more challenging than others. She's forged a unique path for herself by fighting for every opportunity that's come her way. We believe we are signing a very exciting and talented player who will thrive in a professional environment.”

Rowe was part of the Canadian U-20 National Team program from 2022 to 2024, first joining as a training player at just 17, and later earning wider squad selections in both 2023 and 2024.

“My strength is my speed and explosiveness, and I’m very proud to bring that to AFC Toronto,” said Rowe on her fit with the squad. “I'll definitely bring a good attitude and push people on the field. I’m excited to learn from my new teammates, while also pushing them to be better so they can push me to be better.”

Rowe is immediately available for selection and will be in contention to face Ottawa Rapid on July 10.