Sydney Collins Earns Canada Call-Up Again

     When Bay FC defender Sydney Collins received word that she’d been called up to Canada’s senior women’s national team on October 13, 2025, it was more than just another roster announcement. It was a milestone in a remarkable comeback story. Collins, who played her college soccer at the University of California, Berkeley, first broke into the Canadian national team in 2023, earning six caps for Les Rouges. She was slated to join Canada’s Olympic squad in 2024, but a string of devastating injuries derailed her momentum. First came a fractured ankle, then a broken left leg just before the Games, forcing her to watch her teammates compete from the sidelines while she began a long, grueling recovery.

Now fully healed and back in top form, Collins has worked her way back into the spotlight just as she’s found her rhythm with Bay FC. After being traded from the North Carolina Courage on August 22 in exchange for $60,000 in intra-league transfer funds, she signed a multi-year deal to stay in the Bay Area through 2027. Since her arrival, Collins has featured in every match, quickly establishing herself as one of the team’s most reliable defenders and ranking among the league’s leaders in interceptions and recoveries. Her consistency and composure on the back line have been key to stabilizing Bay FC’s defense during a challenging late-season stretch.

Canadian head coach Casey Stoney rewarded Collins’s steady play by adding her to a 24-player roster that will face Switzerland on October 24 in Lucerne and the Netherlands on October 28 in Nijmegen. It marks Collins’s first senior call-up since her injuries, signaling that she has not only returned to full strength physically but also regained the trust and confidence of Canada’s coaching staff. The selection serves as validation for months of hard work, patience, and resilience from a player determined to prove that her best years are still ahead.

Known for her versatility, Collins is comfortable playing in central defense or out wide, a trait that has made her invaluable for both club and country. Her ability to read the game, maintain composure under pressure, and anticipate attacking movements has earned her praise from coaches and analysts alike. Canada’s defense has been stretched thin with injuries and player absences, and Collins’s addition to the roster brings much-needed depth and stability. Stoney has emphasized her desire for fewer unforced errors and more disciplined positioning on the back line, and Collins’s reputation for intelligence and tactical awareness fits that demand perfectly.

For Bay FC, Collins’s national team recognition is more than just a personal achievement; it’s a point of pride. The club, in only its second year of NWSL play, has quickly built a reputation for attracting and developing elite talent. Collins’s call-up underscores that growing influence, reflecting Bay FC’s commitment to building a roster capable of competing at both domestic and international levels. Her story also resonates with fans who have followed Bay FC’s inaugural season journey and witnessed how quickly she has become a cornerstone of the team’s defense.

In the coming weeks, Collins will join her national teammates for Canada’s European tour, an opportunity to reaffirm her place among the country’s top defenders. If she performs well, she could solidify a long-term spot in the Canadian rotation heading into next year’s major tournaments. Back in the Bay, she’ll return to a team preparing for its final home match of the 2025 season at PayPal Park on October 17, where fans will no doubt celebrate her success on both fronts.

Sydney Collins’s story is one of grit, humility, and redemption, a reminder that athletic careers rarely move in straight lines. Her return to international play is not just a comeback; it is a statement of endurance and growth. For supporters of Bay FC, Canadian soccer, and anyone who appreciates the perseverance it takes to rise again after setbacks, Collins’s return is a moment worth cheering.