Sports stats



CPL HFX Wanderers FC

Wanderers Sign Canadian Goalkeeper Rayane Yesli

January 8, 2025 - Canadian Premier League (CPL)
HFX Wanderers FC News Release


Halifax, NS - The Halifax Wanderers have signed Canadian goalkeeper Rayane Yesli to a contract for the 2025 Canadian Premier League Season with a club option for 2026.

Yesli, 25, comes to Halifax after spending the past season with Atlético Ottawa. He has established himself as a top goalkeeper in the CPL over his three seasons in the league, earning a nomination for the Golden Glove award for the league's best goalkeeper in 2023. That season, Yesli led all first-choice keepers in save percentage.

"We're delighted to welcome Rayane to Halifax, a quality Canadian goalkeeper who is already very familiar with the demands of the CPL," sporting director Matt Fegan said. "At 25 he fits a profile our staff were targeting with his best years ahead of him."

Born in Algeria before moving to Montreal at a young age, Yesli would eventually be invited into the CF Montreal Academy ahead of a move to Italy with US Vibonese Calcio. After joining the Université de Montréal in 2020, Yesli was selected third overall in the 2021 CPL - U SPORTS Draft by Valour FC. He would serve as the league's emergency goalkeeper during 'The Kickoff' when the CPL opened the 2021 season in Winnipeg before joining AS Blainville and playing against the Wanderers in the Canadian Championship.

Yesli signed with Valour FC in 2022, spending two seasons at the Winnipeg-based club and making 37 appearances across all competitions. He joined Atlético Ottawa for the 2024 season with 11 appearances and four clean sheets.

Standing six-foot-eight, Yesli adds an immediate aerial presence to compliment a Wanderers back line that includes Jefferson Alphonse, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, Nassim Mekideche and Kareem Sow.

"Rayane is a player we are excited to add to our group and comes in ready to help take us to the next level on the pitch in 2025," Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar said. "He's shown a willingness to compete for opportunities and adds a lot of experience, confidence, and familiarity with several of our players."

Current Halifax Wanderers Roster

Goalkeepers: Aiden Rushenas, Rayane Yesli

Defenders: Jefferson Alphonse, Thomas Meilleur-Giguere, Nassim Mekideche, Kareem Sow, Wesley Timoteo

Midfielders: Vitor Dias, Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, Giorgio Probo, Andre Rampersad

Forwards: Tavio Ciccarelli, Tiago Coimbra, Massimo Ferrin, Sean Rea, Ryan Telfer, Camilo Vasconcelos

Player Bio

Full Name: Yuba-Rayane Yesli

Age: 25

Position: Goalkeeper

Height: 6'8"

Birth Date: October 12, 1999

Birthplace: Tizi Ouzou, Algeria

Nationality: Canadian/Algerian

Last Club: Atletico Ottawa


• Discuss this story on the Canadian Premier League message board...

Canadian Premier League Stories from January 8, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central