AFC Toronto adds to roster with defender Burns, forward Rowe
Published
TORONTO - AFC Toronto has signed Canadian international defender Zoe Burns and Canadian youth international forward Lauren Rowe.
Burns, 23, arrives from France's FC Fleury 91 while Rowe joins from North Toronto Women after a stellar career at Cape Breton University.
A native of Issaquah, Wash., Burns is a dual citizen and represented the U.S. at the under-16 and under-17 levels before joining the Canadian under-20 program in 2022. She went on that year to play for Canada at the CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship in the Dominican Republic, where she was named to the tournament’s Best XI, and at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
In 2022, she earned her first senior call-up and went on to win caps against Nigeria and Morocco.
“Adding a right-sided wingback was always going to be a priority for us this summer, so we are delighted to welcome a multi-faceted talent like Zoe to Toronto,” AFC sporting director Billy Wilson said in a statement.
"Zoe is another player with senior national team appearances, and she is eager to play her way back into national team contention," he added.
Burns played collegiate soccer at USC where she was named to the All-Pac-12 second team and All-Pacific Region first-team recognition. Selected by the Utah Royals in the second round (29th overall) of the 2024 NWSL draft, she went on to make 21 appearances before being released at the end of the 2023 season.
"I’ve played in the NWSL, I’ve played in Europe, and joining a new league like this is definitely a different kind of risk. But for me, it was important to be somewhere that’s truly investing in women’s sports, and in doing things the right way," Burns said in a statement.
"What stood out about Canada is that the support has always been there. I’ve seen it firsthand with the national team. Canadians care, they show up, and they want to see us succeed. That kind of energy matters. The NSL might be a new league, but it’s not a new fan base. The foundation is strong, the investment is real, and the level of professionalism being built around it made this a risk worth taking."
Burns officially joins the team Tuesday and will be available for selection when the NSL transfer window opens July 20. Her first eligible match will be July 24 in Vancouver.
Rowe, 20, arrives from North Toronto Soccer where she scored seven goals and added 12 assists in 10 games.
A native of Conception Bay South, N.L., Rowe scored the winning goal in both the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) semifinal and final, earning MVP honours in the championship match. Rowe was also named AUS Player of the Year.
“Lauren came to our attention through her performances in League1 Ontario with North Toronto," said Wilson. "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.
“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 program from 2022 to 2024.
AFC Toronto plays Ottawa Rapid FC next on July 10
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2025