Los Angeles FC officially announced the addition of forward Jacob Shaffelburg, who joins the club from Nashville SC in a trade agreed within Major League Soccer. The transfer was completed in exchange for $500,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) for the 2026 season and another $500,000 in GAM for 2027. Additionally, Nashville will retain a percentage of any future sale should the player be transferred later. Get 20% off UEFA Champions League broadcasts in Spanish on DAZN. The Los Angeles club highlighted the Canadian attacker's profile and the impact they expect him to have on the team. "Jacob is a versatile, attack-minded player who brings incredible speed and intensity to our group," said LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington. “He has proven his quality internationally with Canada and is coming into an important year with great ambitions ahead, which hopefully include the World Cup. Equally important, he is a person of great character who approaches the game with humility, professionalism, and a team mentality. We are excited to add Jacob to our returning core and welcome him, his wife Robyne, and their children to the LAFC family,” he added. Shaffelburg, 26, arrives in Los Angeles after playing the last four seasons with Nashville SC. During that time, he made 107 appearances in all competitions, 65 of them as a starter, and recorded 14 goals and 17 assists in a total of 5,780 minutes played. In 2025, he recorded his best goal-scoring season at the club level, with four goals and three assists, and was a key player in a historic season for Nashville, which achieved a franchise-record 16 league victories and won its first official trophy by winning the US Open Cup.

MLS Experience and International Career

Before his time in Nashville, Shaffelburg played for Toronto FC between 2019 and 2022. With the Canadian team, he played 61 official matches, 34 as a starter, and made his professional debut on February 19, 2019, in a Concacaf Champions League match.Months later, he signed as a homegrown player and, during his time in Toronto, contributed to their victory in the 2020 Canadian Championship, known as the Voyagers Cup. In 2021, he was recognized by the Canadian Soccer Association as the Canadian Young Player of the Year. His career also flourished at the international level. Shaffelburg made his debut for the Canadian national team on January 10, 2020, in a friendly against Barbados. He later participated in the final stages of the Concacaf qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, helping Canada finish in first place and return to the World Cup after a 36-year absence. In total, he has 31 international caps, 12 as a starter, with six goals and one assist. His most recent appearance was in the Gold Cup, where Canada reached the quarterfinals.