While the World Cup decides a winner this week, Barrie, Ont., is looking to write its own soccer success story.

The growing city of 167,000-plus, located about an hour north of Toronto, has announced plans to build a $28-million soccer-specific stadium with Toronto FC’s reserve side as its major tenant starting with the 2028-29 season.

The city, which owns the land where the stadium is to be built, will pay for construction of the venue, which will open with seating for 3,500 to 3,800. Temporary bleachers can expand that capacity to 6,500, with the stadium design allowing for future capacity to reach up to 10,000.

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment will continue to own and operate the TFC reserve team. Barrie Stadium Group, having bought the club’s commercial rights from MLSE, will operate the stadium and look after everything off the field including future stadium costs.

TFC 2 is a developmental side whose roster is currently stocked with young talent such as 16-year-old Jamaican youth international Jahmarie Nolan and 17-year-old Antone Bossenberry and 18-year-old Richard Chukwu, both Canadian youth internationals.