CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Friday, February 27, 2026) — Crown Legacy FC today announced the signing of Canadian forward Hugo Mbongue to an MLS NEXT Pro contract through the 2026 season, with Club options through June 2029. Mbongue most recently featured with Toronto FC, where he signed a Homegrown contract in 2022 and entered free agency this offseason.
Mbongue will be eligible to play pending visa and federation approval.
“Hugo is an incredibly talented forward who possesses many attributes that we are looking for in the striker position,” said Charlotte FC Assistant General Manager Bobby Belair. “His experience across multiple leagues and high-level competition shows that he has all the tools to succeed in MLS NEXT Pro and beyond. We are very excited to sign Hugo where we can give him a fresh opportunity to push through our Pro Player Pathway.”
Mbongue, 21, spent the 2025 campaign on loan away from Toronto FC, split between USL Championship side Lexington SC and Vancouver FC of the Canadian Premier League. Mbongue only made seven appearances with Lexington before Toronto recalled the forward in July, sending him to Vancouver where he went on to bag seven goals and two assists in 15 matches across all competitions, including in the Canadian Championship final against MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Prior to his pair of loans in 2025, the Toronto, Ontario native also went on a short loan spell to San Antonio FC of the USL Championship, where he notched three goals and one assist through 21 matches in the 2024 season.
The forward signed a First Team Homegrown contract with Toronto FC on Sept. 13, 2022, and has made 14 appearances for Toronto in all competitions, including his senior debut against Philadelphia Union on Oct. 9, 2022. He joined Toronto’s Academy in 2018 and signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Toronto FC II on May 27, 2022, totaling 10 goals and seven assists across 44 appearances.
Internationally, Mbongue has represented Canada’s U-20 National Team at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship in Honduras, as well as the U-15 National Team at the 2019 Concacaf U-15 Championship in Florida where he scored a hat trick against El Salvador.
Name: Hugo Mbongue
Transaction: Crown Legacy FC signs Canadian forward Hugo Mbongue to an MLS NEXT Pro contract through the 2026 season, with options through June 2029.
Position: Forward
Height: 5’11”
Birthdate: 7/27/2004 (21)
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Previous Club: Toronto FC
Crown Legacy FC Roster as of February 27, 2026:
Goalkeeper (1)\\\\: Jahiem Wickham
Defenders (4)\\\\: Ashton Kamdem, Assane Ouedraogo, Willian Sangoquiza, Jamie Smith
Midfielders (4)\\\\: Aron John, Daniel Longo, Erik Peña, Andrej Subotić
Forwards (5)\\\\: Rodolfo Aloko, Barzee Blama, Hugo Mbongue, Nathan Richmond, Emmanuel Uchegbu
