Red Deer’s Antonio Campos makes Canadian Premier League debut
Published 12:08 pm Wednesday, September 16, 2026
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Red Deer’s Antonio Campos learned he would be making his professional soccer debut just hours before the game’s opening whistle.
After sitting on the sidelines for the first 17 games of his rookie season, the 20-year-old goalkeeper got to experience his first Canadian Premier League action for Inter Toronto FC on Sept. 5.
“The bus ride to the stadium is about an hour long. In the first five minutes of that ride, our goalie coach comes up to me and says, ‘You’re going to play today.’ I thought it was a joke at first,” said Campos.
“My dad always told me, ‘You’ve got to be ready for the opportunity because you never know when it will happen.’ … Sometimes I’d feel a little down on myself because I wasn’t getting the chance to play. But I always thought about what my dad had told me. I’m so happy I listened to him because once my coach told me I was playing, I was ready. There was no sense of nervousness in me.”
The game against Hamilton’s Forge FC concluded in a 1-1 draw. Campos’ father and mother were in the crowd to watch his CPL debut. His father, Jorge Campos, is a legendary Mexican goalkeeper who appeared in two FIFA World Cups.
“At the time, I didn’t know my parents were there. I texted them to turn on the game because I was playing. They played along, and then after the game I saw them and it was an incredible moment,” said Campos.
“Debuting was very exciting. It felt like all my hard work was paying off.”
Campos also backstopped Inter Toronto FC to a 3-3 draw against Pacific FC on Sept. 9 and a 3-1 win over Vancouver FC on Sept. 13.
“We’re trying to fight for a playoff spot right now. We’re in a tough spot, competing with a couple teams for the fourth-place position. Right now we’re all (working hard) and trying our best to pull through. We’ll go one game at a time and try to get the win,” said Campos.
Campos signed with Inter Toronto FC earlier this year, after developing within the NCAA system at Cal State Fullerton. He said he’s proud to represent Red Deer at the professional level.
“I’m trying to play my best because I’m representing the Mexican side and the Canadian side of my family,” said Campos.
“It makes me happy knowing my grandparents and other family members are able to watch me. When the Red Deer City Soccer Association posted about me signing (with Inter Toronto FC), it made my grandparents really happy. … I get a lot of questions about where Red Deer is, so it’s cool to bring some attention to the city.”
Campos said he also hopes to inspire young Red Deer soccer players.