Colby Barnett’s Toronto role reaches beyond the touchline

Colby Barnett’s latest contribution to AFC Toronto’s identity extends beyond a match sheet. In an August 28 announcement, the club named her among four players taking part in The Empty Stall, a campaign with Dove focused on girls leaving sport because of low body confidence.

The campaign was built around a planned unoccupied stall in Toronto’s locker room for the August 30 match against Ottawa. Barnett, Shelina Zadorsky, Sabrina D’Angelo and Nikayla Small were identified as players who would share the people and experiences that helped them stay in the game. The announcement makes Barnett part of a wider conversation about who gets to feel at home in football.

That involvement sits alongside a substantial playing commitment. Toronto extended Barnett’s contract through the 2027 Northern Super League season in July 2025, after she had started every match and played every minute of that inaugural campaign to that point.

Her influence has continued in 2026. Against Ottawa on August 9, Barnett won the penalty that Zadorsky converted during a 2–2 draw. It was a useful reminder that a player can shape a result without appearing among the scorers. Taken together, those moments offer a fuller picture of Barnett’s Toronto chapter: competitive responsibility, continuity and a platform that reaches beyond the field.