Canada Soccer Welcomes General Mills Canada as Official Partner

Canada Soccer Welcomes General Mills Canada as Official Partner

Canada Soccer Welcomes General Mills Canada as Official Partner
Cheerios, Nature Valley and Old El Paso join in celebrating Canada’s beautiful game from the field to the table

Toronto, Ont. – Oct. 6, 2025 – Canada Soccer today announced a new partnership with
General Mills Canada, uniting two champions of Canadian pride and community spirit in support
of the beautiful game.

Together, Canada Soccer and General Mills Canada will spotlight what makes soccer so special
in this country: togetherness and community. From breakfast tables to post-match meals, the
partnership will share the stories of Canada Soccer’s Men’s and Women’s National Teams,
showcasing their unique journeys to inspire pride and grow the game across generations.

“Soccer is Canada’s most accessible sport, bringing communities together in every corner of the
country,” said Dominic Martin, Canada Soccer Director, Marketing. “Through this partnership
with General Mills Canada, we’ll celebrate those everyday connections from the pitch to the
kitchen table while inspiring pride in the journeys of our National Teams as we continue to
grow the beautiful game across the country.“

The collaboration, negotiated by Canadian Soccer Business, builds on General Mills’ long
tradition of supporting athletes and communities nearly three decades as a proud Team
Canada Olympic sponsor, and since 2024, a Paralympic sponsor. With beloved brands like
Cheerios, Nature Valley and Old El Paso, General Mills fuels families from breakfast to dinner,
powering moments of play, sport and connection.

“At General Mills, we understand that sports are more than just games; they’re threads in the
fabric of our national identity, weaving together communities from coast to coast,” says Vince
Mendes de Franca, President, General Mills Canada. “Our partnership with Canada Soccer is a
testament to our belief in the unifying power of sport. By supporting Canadian athletes and
programs, we’re not just celebrating the game, we’re fostering national pride, inspiring the next
generation, and strengthening the bonds that make us Canadian.”

“This partnership with General Mills is about connecting more Canadians to the game we love,”
Glen Johnson, Executive Vice President, Canadian Soccer Business. “We’re excited to be
creating opportunities for fans to feel closer to the sport, and for the game to reach new
communities across the country, by bringing together the passion of soccer with brands that are
part of everyday life.”

About Canada Soccer
Canada Soccer, in partnership with its membership and its partners, provides leadership in the
pursuit of excellence in soccer, both at the national and international levels. Canada Soccer not
only strives to lead Canada to victory, but also encourages Canadians to a life-long passion for
soccer. For more details on Canada Soccer, visit the official website at
www.canadasoccer.com.  

About General Mills
General Mills makes food the world loves. The company is guided by its Accelerate strategy to
boldly build its brands, relentlessly innovate, unleash its scale and stand for good. Its portfolio of
beloved brands in Canada includes household names like Cheerios, Nature Valley, Old El Paso,
Pillsbury, Betty Crocker and Oatmeal Crisp. Established in 1954, General Mills Canada
Corporation is based in Mississauga, Ontario, and is a proud and long-time supporter of United
Way and Team Canada Olympic and Paralympic Athletes. For more information, visit
www.generalmills.com.

About Canadian Soccer Business
Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) represents a suite of top-tier national assets that are central
to the sport of soccer in Canada. This includes representation for all corporate partnerships and
media rights (broadcast and distribution) related to Canada Soccer’s core assets including the
Men’s and Women’s National Team and the TELUS Canadian Championship, along with all
rights associated with the Canadian Premier League (CPL) and League1 Canada.

Media Contacts:

Paulo Senra
Chief Communications Officer
Canada Soccer
psenra@canadasoccer.com / 416.882.7919

Laura Armstrong
Senior Director, Communications
Canadian Premier League and Canadian Soccer Business
laura.armstrong@canpl.ca

Sheri Clish
Account Director
Narrative XPR
sheri.cilsh@narrativexpr.com

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Costa Smyrniotis

Costa Smyrniotis is a senior Canadian soccer executive with more than 20 years of experience across the professional, developmental, and commercial sides of the game in Canada and internationally. His career spans league governance, club operations, player representation, and academy leadership, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the soccer ecosystem.

As Executive Vice President of the Canadian Premier League, Smyrniotis oversees sporting and business operations across Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment’s league portfolio, including the CPL and Premier Soccer Leagues Canada, the umbrella organization for Canada’s national pro-am competitions.

Previously, he served as Executive Vice President, Soccer, helping professionalize the league’s on-field product and strengthen its reputation in the global transfer market, increasing player movement and international recognition.

Prior to his league role, Smyrniotis spent five years as Director of Football and Business at Forge FC, building one of Canada’s most successful professional clubs. Earlier, he co-founded Sigma FC, built a leading player agency, and held senior business roles with multinational organizations.

Laura Armstrong

Laura Armstrong is Vice President, Communications & Business Integration at Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment, where she leads strategic communications, public relations, and key stakeholder engagement across the company’s corporate functions, leagues, and media assets.

In this role, Laura works closely with executive leadership to align organizational strategy and priorities, supporting the delivery of the company’s long-term vision through coordinated planning and execution across teams.

Prior to joining CSME, Laura spent nearly a decade as a journalist with the Toronto Star, Canada’s largest daily newspaper, where she led the paper’s soccer coverage beginning in 2015. A leading voice in Canadian soccer — particularly in the women’s game — she covered major milestones including the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Toronto FC’s treble-winning 2017 season, and Canada’s men’s national team qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Laura regularly appeared across national and international broadcast platforms including OneSoccer, Sportsnet, CBC, CTV, the BBC and more

A bilingual native of Barrhaven, Ont., Laura holds a combined honours degree in Journalism and English Literature from the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Dylan Hewko

Dylan Hewko is a finance executive with extensive experience in professional sports, specializing in financial strategy, governance, and organizational oversight. He currently serves as Senior Vice President, Finance, supporting the continued growth and financial stewardship of Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment.

In this corporate leadership role, Dylan is responsible for financial planning, reporting, and governance, as well as people operations and organizational policies, supporting the company’s overall business objectives across its leagues and properties.

Prior to joining the Canadian Premier League in 2021, Dylan spent three years with New York City FC as Controller and held finance roles with the Toronto Blue Jays. He began his professional career at Deloitte Canada in the Assurance & Advisory practice, building a strong foundation in corporate accounting and financial management.

A graduate of Queen’s University, Dylan holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and a Graduate Diploma in Accounting, and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (Canada) and Certified Public Accountant (USA). He has long been engaged in the intersection of sport and business, including through leadership roles with the Queen’s Sports Industry Conference.

Marni Dicker

Marni Dicker is a senior executive and governance leader with deep experience in corporate law, infrastructure development, and organizational leadership across complex public- and private-sector environments.

In her dual role as Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President, Infrastructure, Marni oversees legal strategy, corporate governance, risk management, and compliance, while also leading infrastructure planning and expansion strategy and execution for the Canadian Premier League.

Her career includes senior roles such as Chief Commercial Officer and General Counsel at Infrastructure Ontario, where she led legal and commercial oversight for major infrastructure and venue development projects, including facilities for the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. She has also served as Executive Vice President at Live Work Learn Play Inc. and held board positions with organizations including CreateTO, Tarion, and Habitat for Humanity GTA.

A nationally recognized leader, Marni has been named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers. Her honours include the Canadian General Counsel Award for Business Achievement and induction into the Urban Land Institute’s Hall of Champions. She lectures at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Faculty of Law and holds degrees from Western and McGill, along with the ICD.D designation. Marni is a proud wife and mother of two.

Shaun Guest

Shaun Guest is a senior sports business executive with more than a decade of experience driving commercial growth through sponsorships, partnerships, and revenue strategy. He currently serves as Vice President, Commercial Operations, working within the commercial leadership team to support partner growth across Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment and its properties.

In his role, Shaun leads corporate partnerships and sponsorship initiatives, while also overseeing ticketing, and licensing operations. He works closely with internal teams and external partners to deliver integrated commercial programs that support long-term business objectives.

Prior to joining CSME, Shaun served as Vice President, Business Operations for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Forge FC, where he played a key role in Forge FC’s launch and oversaw corporate partnerships, ticket sales, community engagement, and marketing initiatives.

Earlier in his career, Shaun held roles with the 2007 Grey Cup Festival and the Toronto Rock, building a strong foundation in ticket sales, sponsorship development and revenue generation across multiple sports and event platforms. He is a graduate of Brock University’s Sport Management program and holds a Master’s degree in Sport & Leisure Commerce from the University of Memphis.

Michael Beckerman

Michael Beckerman is a seasoned marketing and business leader with more than two decades of global experience across sports, media, and consumer brands. He brings a strategic, partner-first approach to growing audiences, brands, and commercial impact within the soccer ecosystem.

Beckerman’s career spans three continents and includes senior leadership roles as Director of Advertising for Nike Europe, Vice President of Marketing at Canadian Airlines, Chief Marketing Officer at the Bank of Montreal, and CEO of sponsorship agency MKTG Canada. He also led Ariad Communications, an award-winning marketing and digital agency, and most recently served as Chief Client Officer at Torstar Corporation.

A recognized voice in sponsorship and brand strategy, Beckerman is a frequent speaker on marketing trends, consumer engagement, and the evolving business of sport.

At CSME, Mike leads partner strategy, helping organizations — including Canada Soccer, the Canadian Premier League, Premier Soccer Leagues Canada, OneSoccer, and other media and properties — connect meaningfully with fans to achieve their business objectives while advancing the growth of soccer in Canada.

James Johnson 

James Johnson is a globally recognized sport and entertainment executive with more than two decades of leadership experience across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. He was appointed Group CEO of Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment (CSME) and Commissioner of the Canadian Premier League in July 2025 to accelerate the growth and transformation of Canadian soccer ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.

Johnson previously served as CEO of Football Australia, leading a period of transformation marked by record commercial growth, strong national team performance, increased participation, and the successful hosting of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The tournament delivered a lasting legacy, unlocking $389 million in government investment to support the sport’s growth in Australia. He also secured record broadcast agreements with Paramount+, Disney+, and Fox Sports.

His career includes senior executive roles with FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and City Football Group, where he built a reputation as a commercially driven, innovative leader advancing sport on and off the pitch.

Johnson leads the group’s overall strategic direction, aligning commercial growth, media innovation, and sporting performance to strengthen the business of Canadian soccer. He serves on the board of OneSoccer.