Amer Didic signs with Cavalry while Nick Dasovic joins Vancouver FC’s coaching staff

By Canadian Press on January 15, 2026.

Veteran defender Amer Didic, who missed most of last year after breaking his leg May 3, has joined Cavalry FC as a free agent after two seasons with Atletico Ottawa.

The Calgary-based side said the 31-year-old from Edmonton is signed through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028.

Cavalry marks Didic’s fourth Canadian Premier League squad, having also played for FC Edmonton (2019-21) and Pacific FC (2021-23).

“Didic has been one of the league’s top centre backs since its inception,” Cavalry coach and GM Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said in a statement. “He combines size and intelligence to protect the goal and is a constant threat on attacking set plays. In addition to his physical presence and leadership at the back, he brings an excellent range of passing that allows us to break down opposition defensive structures.”

The six-foot-four defender joined the league in its inaugural 2019 season, making 48 appearances across all competitions for Edmonton before joining Pacific FC, where he made 63 appearances. Joining Ottawa ahead of the 2024 season, he made another 37 appearances.

“Alberta is a place I’m very familiar with, which makes this move feel natural,” Didic said.

Born in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Didic came through FC Edmonton’s academy system before attending Baker University in Kansas, where he earned NAIA all-American honours twice and was named Heart of America Athletic Conference MVP.

Following his collegiate career, he signed with USL side Swope Park Rangers, now known as Sporting Kansas City II, in 2016. He made 84 appearances over two seasons with the reserve team, signing with the MLS side in May 2017 after being a finalists for USL Defender of the Year in 2016.

Didic did not make any league appearances for Kansas City, which declined his contract option in November 2018.

In other CPL news, former Canadian international Nick Dasovic has joined Martin Nash’s coaching staff at Vancouver FC.

Most recently, Dasovic coached youth teams with the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer and spent 2024 and 2025 as an assistant with Detroit City FC in the USL Championship.

A Canadian Soccer Hall of Famer, Dasovic earned 63 caps between 1992 and 2004. He previously coached the Canadian U-20 and U-23 teams, served as interim head coach of Toronto FC in 2010 and was an assistant coach with the San Jose Earthquakes.

“He has a proven track record of helping players improve and succeed, and I know his guidance will be key as we work to shape a team that’s prepared to compete at the highest level,” Nash said in a statement.

Elsewhere in B.C., Pacific FC has signed six-foot-five defender Joshua Belluz to a contract through the 2027 season.

The 24-year-old was with Colorado Rapids II of the MLS Next Pro league most recently, making 37 appearances across all competitions.

The six-foot-five Toronto product was also loaned to Hartford Athletic of the USL Championship, making three appearances during the 2024 season.

“Josh is hungry, dynamic and ambitious in his football.” Pacific coach James Merriman said in a statement. “He’s got good athleticism, great size and aerial presence and he’s composed on the ball and looks to play first and break lines.

“Josh suits the way we want to play, forward defending, aggressive in the air and can play. We are very happy to have him in our team and expect him to impact immediately.”

Belluz was with Vaughan Azzurri in League1 Ontario from 2017 to 2019 before playing collegiate soccer for both Villanova and Syracuse University. He returned to Vaughan for the 2023 season, starting a Canadian Championship game against CF Montreal.

Expansion FC Supra added four more homegrown players to its roster in defenders Matisse Chretien, Ismael Yeo and Thomas Lebeuf and midfielder Omar Elkalkouli.

Chrétien, Yeo and Lebeuf are the first defenders named to Supra’s inaugural roster, which now numbers 12.

Chrétien and Elkalkouli are signed through 2026 while Yeo and Lebeuf are signed through 2027 with an option for 2028.

Chrétien, 22, played collegiate soccer at McGill, Green Bay University and the University of San Francisco as well as RKC Third Coast in USL League Two. Yeo, 21, joined CS Saint-Laurent at age 16 before joining the CF Montreal academy,

Lebeuf, 19, played at the University of Nevada while Elkalkouli spent time with the CF Montreal academy and played for the Vilaverdense FC youth team in Portugal before returning home to play in Ligue1 Quebec and for the Montreal Carabins.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2026.

The Canadian Press