This former Toronto FC player finds a new path in the USL championship

• Former Toronto FC midfielder Noble Okello signs with Phoenix Rising FC for the 2025 season.
• The Canadian midfielder aims to reignite his career after struggling to fulfill expectations at Toronto FC.
• Okello's journey highlights his potential and the challenges he faced in MLS.

This former Toronto FC player finds a new path in the USL championship
This former Toronto FC player finds a new path in the USL championship | Minas Panagiotakis/GettyImages

Noble Okello, once considered a rising star in Toronto FC’s academy, has embarked on a new chapter with Phoenix Rising FC in the USL Championship.

The 24-year-old defensive midfielder had shown great promise during his formative years, debuting for Toronto’s senior team in the 2019 Canadian Championship. His progression included his MLS debut in 2021, where he made 14 league appearances, tallying one assist across 853 minutes.

READ MORE: Matty Longstaff Opens Up About His Journey and Aspirations at Toronto FC

A Promising Start That Faded

Despite his initial potential, Okello struggled to consistently deliver on the expectations set for him. Over his tenure with Toronto FC, he managed 30 appearances, scoring one goal and providing one assist. His subsequent moves to New England Revolution 2 and Atlanta United 2 in the MLS NEXT Pro league highlighted his difficulties in breaking through at a higher level.

A New Opportunity in Phoenix

Now, Okello aims to rebuild his career with Phoenix Rising FC, a club known for its competitive spirit in the USL Championship. This move offers him a chance to regain form and confidence in a professional environment. While his time at Toronto FC didn’t yield the success many had hoped for, the opportunity to play in Phoenix provides a fresh platform for growth.

What is Toronto FC currently doing?

For Okello, this chapter represents more than just a change of scenery; it’s a chance to prove his capabilities and reignite his journey toward a higher level of competition. With his technical skills and defensive acumen, Phoenix Rising FC may offer the ideal environment for him to thrive and rediscover his potential.

Toronto FC is currently in a construction phase and it was expected in those seasons where Noble Okello competed, that the team would focus on building from the TFC academy.Focusing on the future with youth, but unfortunately this did not happen and many players in whom high expectations were had did not meet them and the team did not obtain its growth from the lower divisions.