Including previous iterations of the franchise, it was the 43rd season of professional soccer being played in Vancouver under a variation of the "Whitecaps" name.

Around September and towards the end of the season, COVID-19 cross-border restrictions imposed by the Canadian government forced the Whitecaps to play the remaining home matches at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon.

[1] On November 16, 2019, the Whitecaps named Axel Schuster as the club's new sporting director.

The three group stage games will count towards the regular season standings.

[34] As part of the MLS regular season, Canada's three Major League Soccer clubs will play each other three times from August 18 to September 16.