Nikayla Small
Canadian soccer player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nikayla Desiree Small (born March 24, 2003) is a Canadian soccer player who plays for AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League.
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Small in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nikayla Desiree Small | ||
| Date of birth | March 24, 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | AFC Toronto | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Pickering FC | |||
| NDC Ontario | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2024 | Wake Forest Demon Deacons | 60 | (4) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022 | NDC Ontario | 10 | (1) |
| 2024 | Eagle FC | 8 | (3) |
| 2025– | AFC Toronto | 25 | (5) |
| International career | |||
| 2018 | Canada U15 | 4 | (1) |
| 2022 | Canada U20 | 4 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of October 20, 2025 | |||
Early life
Small began playing youth soccer at age four with Pickering FC.[1] She later joined the NDC Ontario program.[2]
College career
In 2021, Small began attending Wake Forest University, where she played for the women's soccer team.[3] On August 29, 2021, she scored her first collegiate goal in a victory over the Youngstown State Penguins.[4] At the end of her first season, she was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman Team.[5] She missed the entire 2022 season due to injury.[6]
Club career
In 2022, Small played with NDC Ontario in League1 Ontario.[7]
In 2024, she played with Eagle FC in the USL W League, scoring three goals in eight matches.[8][9]
In January 2025, she signed a professional contract with AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League.[10][11] On June 11, 2025, she scored her first goal in a 3-2 victory over Vancouver Rise FC.[12] On June 14, 2025, she scored a brace in a 2-1 victory over Calgary Wild FC.[13][14] She was named the league's Player of the Month for June 2025.[15][16] Small scored the first goal in the first-ever NSL semifinal as Toronto won 2–0 in the first leg against Montreal Roses FC on November 1, 2025.[17] Following the conclusion of the 2025 season, in which Toronto won the inaugural Supporters' Shield, it was announced that she had signed a contract extension to keep her with the club through 2027.[18][19]
International career
In August 2018, Small was called up for the first time to the Canada national program with the Canada U15 for the 2018 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship.[1] She was named to the tournament Best XI.[20] She later was called up to camps with the Canada U17 and represented the Canada U20 at both the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship and the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[1]
In October 2021, she was called up to the Canada senior team for the first time for a training camp and a set of friendlies.[21][22]