Last Updated on September 30, 2026 by Laurinda Jocias
Ryan Gauld is a Scottish professional footballer who captains Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer. Born on December 16, 1995, in Aberdeen, Scotland, Gauld grew up in Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire, before developing through Brechin City Boys Club and Dundee United’s academy.
Family has remained an important part of Gauld’s life throughout a career that has taken him from Scotland to Portugal and eventually Canada. He is married to longtime partner Kat Hutchison, and the couple welcomed their first publicly confirmed child, a son named Ruben Stewart Gauld, in November 2025. Gauld has also spoken about his father’s background in football and confirmed that he has a brother who played the sport recreationally.
Ryan Gauld’s Wife: Kat Hutchison
Ryan Gauld is married to his longtime partner Kat Hutchison, who is now publicly referred to as Kat Gauld.
The couple were already together when Gauld was establishing himself as one of Vancouver Whitecaps’ leading players. Major League Soccer identified Kat as Gauld’s partner in a 2023 feature about his life in British Columbia.
Gauld and Kat developed a strong connection with Vancouver after moving to Canada. Away from football, they became known for exploring British Columbia together with their dogs, including hiking around Whistler and Squamish and visiting Vancouver Island.
The couple also became involved in charitable work in Vancouver. Both visited Covenant House Vancouver, an organization supporting young people experiencing homelessness, after Gauld became one of its donors.
Ryan Gauld and Kat Hutchison’s Engagement
Gauld and Kat became engaged while living in British Columbia. Major League Soccer reported in 2023 that Gauld proposed during a trip to Tofino on Vancouver Island.
Tofino had become one of the couple’s favorite destinations, particularly because of its beaches and opportunities for surfing and outdoor activities.
By January 2024, Vancouver Whitecaps officially referred to Kat as Gauld’s fiancée when announcing the midfielder’s contract extension through the 2027 MLS season.
Gauld said at the time that both he and Kat felt welcomed by the people of Vancouver and had come to consider the city their second home.
Ryan Gauld and Kat’s Marriage
Gauld and Kat subsequently married. Although their exact wedding date has not been prominently documented by major football publications, by 2025 Gauld was publicly referring to Kat as his wife.
Media reports surrounding the birth of their son in November 2025 also identified Kat as Ryan Gauld’s wife.
Their relationship has therefore progressed from a long-term partnership and engagement in British Columbia to marriage and parenthood.
Ryan Gauld’s Children
Ryan Gauld and his wife Kat have one publicly confirmed child, a son named Ruben Stewart Gauld.
Ruben Stewart Gauld
Ruben Stewart Gauld was born on November 21, 2025.
Kat publicly announced their son’s arrival shortly afterward, revealing his full name and expressing the couple’s happiness at becoming parents.
Ruben was born during an extraordinary period in Ryan’s football career. Just one day after his son’s birth, Gauld was involved in Vancouver Whitecaps’ MLS Cup Playoffs victory over LAFC.
The Whitecaps advanced after a dramatic penalty shootout, with Gauld converting one of Vancouver’s penalties despite having become a father only around 24 hours earlier.
After the match, Gauld’s teammates celebrated both the playoff victory and the arrival of Ruben in the dressing room.
Gauld Announced the Pregnancy With a Goal Celebration
Supporters had learned shortly before Ruben’s birth that Ryan and Kat were expecting a child.
When Gauld returned from a long injury absence during Vancouver’s 2025 Canadian Championship campaign, he scored and celebrated by placing the ball underneath his shirt.
Gauld later explained that he had been waiting a long time to perform the celebration because his wife was pregnant.
The moment became particularly memorable because the goal came after Gauld had spent several months recovering from a knee injury.
Ryan Gauld’s Parents
Ryan Gauld was raised in Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Although his parents have supported his football journey since childhood, their names have not been reliably documented in the major public sources available about the midfielder.
Gauld has provided some information about his father, particularly his own experience playing football. Far less public information is available about his mother.
His family remained in Scotland when Gauld moved abroad at only 18 years old to join Sporting CP in Portugal, making his transfer an important step toward independence.
Ryan Gauld’s Father
Ryan Gauld has confirmed that his father was also involved in football.
Speaking before his transfer from Dundee United to Sporting CP in 2014, Gauld explained that his father had played junior football as well as summer-league football.
Although his father did not reach the same professional level as Ryan, having football within the family gave the future Scotland international an early connection to the sport.
Gauld grew up playing regularly in Laurencekirk and began organized football at a young age with Brechin City Boys Club.
The name and occupation of Gauld’s father have not been consistently documented by authoritative football sources, so those details are best kept private rather than inferred from unofficial websites.
Ryan Gauld’s Mother
Much less has been publicly reported about Ryan Gauld’s mother.
Reliable football interviews do not provide her name or professional background, and Gauld has generally avoided placing his parents in the media spotlight.
What is clear is that Gauld grew up in a close community in Laurencekirk before leaving home as his football career progressed.
His move to Portugal at 18 represented a particularly significant change because it placed him in a new country, language and culture while still at the beginning of adulthood.
Ryan Gauld’s Siblings
Ryan Gauld has publicly confirmed that he has a brother.
His brother also played football, although unlike Ryan he did not pursue the sport professionally.
Ryan Gauld’s Brother
Gauld discussed his brother during a 2014 interview with The Guardian while explaining how different people can take different paths in football.
He said his brother played for a pub team and suggested that he had enough ability to potentially play at a higher level but preferred playing socially with his friends.
Gauld used his brother’s experience to illustrate that not everyone who possesses football ability necessarily wants to build a professional career around the sport.
The name of Gauld’s brother has not been reliably established in major public sports coverage, and there is limited information about his personal or professional life.
Football in Ryan Gauld’s Family
Football was therefore already present within the Gauld household before Ryan became a professional.
His father played junior and summer-league football, while his brother also played recreationally.
Ryan was the family member who ultimately progressed furthest in the sport. He began playing for Brechin City Boys Club as a child before joining Dundee United’s youth system at around nine years old.
Gauld eventually made his Dundee United first-team debut at only 16 and quickly developed a reputation as one of Scotland’s most technically gifted young players.
Ryan Gauld’s Childhood in Laurencekirk
Although Gauld was born in Aberdeen, he grew up in Laurencekirk, a small community in Aberdeenshire.
He attended Laurencekirk Primary School and later Mearns Academy.
Football dominated much of his childhood. Gauld could regularly be found playing in local parks with friends, while organized football introduced him to several players who would later become professionals themselves.
At Brechin City Boys Club, he played alongside John Souttar and Euan Spark. Gauld and Souttar later moved together into Dundee United’s academy.
Gauld’s football development therefore remained relatively close to his family home during the earliest stages of his career.
Leaving His Family for Dundee United
As Gauld progressed through Dundee United’s academy, football increasingly required him to spend time away from home.
He eventually lived in shared accommodation while developing at the club, an experience that helped prepare him for the independence that would become necessary later in his career.
Gauld progressed exceptionally quickly and made his senior debut at 16.
His performances soon attracted attention from major European clubs, eventually resulting in a move that changed both his professional and personal life.
Moving to Portugal at 18
In 2014, Gauld left Scotland to join Sporting CP in Portugal.
He was only 18 when he made the move, leaving behind his family, friends and familiar surroundings in Aberdeenshire.
The decision demonstrated Gauld’s willingness to take an unconventional route compared with many young Scottish footballers.
Although establishing himself permanently in Sporting’s senior team proved difficult, Gauld remained in Portugal for several years and eventually rebuilt his career successfully with Farense.
Living abroad from such a young age also helped shape the independence that later made his transition to Canada easier.
Ryan Gauld and Kat’s Life in Vancouver
Gauld moved to Vancouver in July 2021 after leaving Farense, and Kat subsequently became an important part of his life in Canada.
The couple embraced British Columbia’s outdoor lifestyle. Major League Soccer reported that they enjoyed hiking, exploring areas such as Whistler and Squamish, surfing in Tofino and spending time outdoors with their two dogs.
The couple’s connection to Vancouver eventually extended beyond lifestyle and football. Gauld and Kat became involved with local charitable organizations, including Covenant House Vancouver.
When Gauld signed a new Whitecaps contract in January 2024, both the player and the club emphasized how comfortable he and Kat had become living in the city.
Starting Their Own Family in Canada
Vancouver eventually became particularly significant to the couple because it was where they started their own family.
Ruben Stewart Gauld’s birth in November 2025 came several years after Ryan and Kat first arrived in British Columbia and after the city had become an established home for them.
Gauld’s transition from young Scottish footballer living abroad to husband and father has therefore taken place alongside his rise as one of the most important players in Vancouver Whitecaps history.
Ryan Gauld’s Family and His Scotland Career
Gauld’s international career also reached an important milestone later than many expected.
Despite representing Scotland at youth level and first receiving senior attention years earlier, he did not make his senior Scotland debut until September 2024.
The achievement arrived after he had already established a settled life in Vancouver with Kat.
His return to the Scotland setup also reunited him internationally with childhood friend John Souttar, with whom he had played at Brechin City and Dundee United.
Ryan Gauld’s Family Life Today
As of now, Ryan Gauld lives a family life centered around his wife Kat and their young son Ruben while continuing his professional career with Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Gauld remains under contract with Vancouver through the 2027 MLS season and continues to serve as the club’s captain.
The couple have made British Columbia an important part of their lives since moving to Canada and have developed connections with the local community beyond football.
At the same time, Gauld retains strong roots in Scotland, particularly Laurencekirk, where he grew up in a family in which both his father and brother also played football.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ryan Gauld’s Family
Who is Ryan Gauld’s wife?
Ryan Gauld’s wife is Kat Hutchison, now also publicly known as Kat Gauld. The couple lived together in Vancouver for several years before marrying.
How did Ryan Gauld and Kat get engaged?
Gauld and Kat became engaged during a trip to Tofino on Vancouver Island, one of the couple’s favorite destinations in British Columbia.
Does Ryan Gauld have children?
Yes. Ryan Gauld and his wife Kat have one publicly confirmed child, a son named Ruben Stewart Gauld.
Who is Ryan Gauld’s son?
Ryan and Kat’s son is Ruben Stewart Gauld, who was born on November 21, 2025.
Who are Ryan Gauld’s parents?
The names of Ryan Gauld’s parents have not been reliably documented in major authoritative football sources. Gauld has, however, publicly discussed his father’s background in football.
Did Ryan Gauld’s father play football?
Yes. Gauld has said that his father played junior football and summer-league football in Scotland.
Does Ryan Gauld have siblings?
Yes. Gauld has publicly confirmed that he has a brother.
Does Ryan Gauld’s brother play football?
Gauld said that his brother played recreational football for a pub team. Ryan believed his brother had enough ability to potentially play at a higher level but preferred playing socially with friends.
What is Ryan Gauld’s brother’s name?
His brother’s name has not been reliably documented by major authoritative football sources.
Where is Ryan Gauld’s family from?
Gauld was born in Aberdeen and grew up in Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. His childhood and immediate family background are closely associated with that area.
Laurinda Jocias is a football writer covering English women’s football, including the Women’s Super League. Her work focuses on players, clubs, and the continued development of the women’s game in the UK.
