Latest news with #Women'sFootball
The Sun
8 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
FA chief shares thoughts on Sarina Wiegman's England future ahead of Lionesses' Euros title defence
FA CHIEF Mark Bullingham expects Sarina Wiegman to carry on as England boss - even if her team endured a Euros group stage exit. And the Football Association's top exec thinks the women's game will continue to grow no matter where the Lionesses finish in the tournament. 4 4 4 Holders England are just seven days away from commencing the defence of the Euros title they won at Wembley three years ago. They will battle it out for knockout place with an in-form France who they play in Zurich, Switzerland on July 5 before duels with the Netherlands and Wales. Last January Wiegman, 55, extended her contract, which was due to expire after this summer's Euros, until after the 2027 World Cup. The Dutch coach is regarded as one of the most successful England managers having guided the team to Euros glory and their first ever World Cup final. On whether a group-stage exit would force the FA to consider her position, Bullingham said: "I don't see any scenario changing that. "We're delighted that Sarina's in place until 2027 On whether Wiegman's reign could go beyond the next Women's World Cup, he added: "We haven't looked beyond that time scale yet or engaged in those conversations. "We feel we have us locked into this tournament and the next and that feels very good for us. "That's not to say we wouldn't have a conversation at some point in the future but it's too early for that really." England's group D opener with France comes nine days after new research revealed a decrease in average broadcast audiences for Women's Super League games. A Women's Sport Trust study found the average UK broadcast audience for the WSL had declined by 35% year on year. However with England World Cup final clash with Spain being the most-watched women's sport event on TV in 2023, Bullingham believes the game will continue to grow and attract large audiences He said: "We see every international tournament as an opportunity to accelerate growth rather than it being a negative. "If you look at the last World Cup being in Australia - the challenge with the time zones made it difficult for teams in Europe to achieve really high figures. "But actually, we were still, despite that, achieving good figures so we're really confident that we'll achieve good figures this time around." 4 Plans to build a statue of England's Women's team are still ongoing according to the FA. The football authority entered into discussions about its design following the last Women's World Cup. The FA says it is "completely committed" to the project with the commissioning process currently at an advanced stage with an update likely to be provided after the summer.
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Healy named first MK Dons Women full-time boss
MK Dons have appointed Stephen Healy as the first full-time head coach of their women's follows a decision to fully integrate the team into club operations following a dismal season in finished bottom of Women's National League Southern Premier, managing a single point from 22 games, with a goal difference of minus was a first-team coach at Women's Super League club West Ham and replaces Abdoullah Kheir, who resigned after just three games in charge."This really does feel like a fresh start for MK Dons Women. I'm excited to lend my experience to a young team with so much potential," he said. "As a Milton Keynes resident for over a decade, I'm so grateful to be given this opportunity."He will begin work next week as they prepare to play in WNL Division One South East next season. The club announced last month, external that the women's team was to incorporated into the club structure following their relegation.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Filipa Patão Joins The NWSL As Boston Legacy FC's First Head Coach
As Boston Legacy FC are preparing for the NWSL season in 2026, the club has announced another key milestone in hiring Filipa Patão as their head coach. Following the approval of her visa, Patão is set to begin her role with the club in July. Boston Legacy FC club has announced another key milestone in hiring Filipa Patão as their head ... More coach. Following the approval of her visa, Patão is set to begin her role with the club in July. Patão brings winning wealth to Boston Patão has been the head coach of the Portuguese club, Sport Lisboa e Benfica (aka Benfica), since 2020. In her leadership role, she has a 156-28-15 (wins, losses, draws) record across all competitions. As the head coach, the club won the Campeonato Nacional for five consecutive years. Benfica also reached the quarterfinals of the 2023-2024 UEFA Women's Champions League, who were the first Portuguese club to make it that far in the tournament. In 2024, Patão was nominated for the first edition of the Ballon d'Or's Coach of the Year award, which was awarded to U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach, Emma Hayes. As a player, Patão played for Portuguese club teams 1° Dezembro, C.F. Benfica, and Estoril Praia. She also earned three caps with the Portuguese National Team in 2012 and 2013. 'I'm very excited about going to Boston,' said Patão. 'I can't wait to get to the city, meet all the people and start working. The American league is extremely competitive and that's one of the reasons I accepted this project: I like competition, difficulty, and getting the players to strive for more and better. To transform themselves and always demand more of themselves. I know that Boston fans are passionate about the city and their teams and I'm looking forward to building a new history with them.' Patão began her career with Benfica in 2007 where she played a role as the youth coach and eventually managed the U-15, U-17, and U-19 women's teams. The 36-year-old currently holds a UEFA A coaching license and is in the process of obtaining her UEFA Pro diploma. As a player, Filipa Patão played for Portuguese club teams 1° Dezembro, C.F. Benfica, and Estoril ... More Praia. 'Filipa demonstrates all of the qualities that personify this club and the way we want to play: with passion, grit, and style,' said Legacy FC controlling owner Jennifer Epstein. 'She is a coach who loves to develop players and loves to win, and that attitude is very evident in the way she is approaching our inaugural 2026 season head-on. We can't wait to watch her build Boston's next championship team.' Reigniting a soccer legacy in Boston As the Boston Breakers were initially one of the eight teams in the NWSL, their comeback as the 15th franchise in the league will reignite a new level of growth in the league as the team is set to begin play in the 2026 NWSL season at Gillette Stadium. With Patão in the lead, the club will now work on building out their roster for the upcoming season. 'Boston is a club where we want to develop both technical identity and have a clear style of play, but also we want a coach who thinks about more than just winning games,' said General Manager Domè Guasch. 'Filipa is a coach I believe can help us build a great culture where players understand they will come here to grow and learn.'
New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Boston Legacy FC names Filipa Patão as NWSL club's inaugural coach
Boston Legacy FC has named Filipa Patão as the NWSL club's inaugural coach, the club announced Wednesday morning. The 36-year-old, who spent the last five years coaching Benfica's women's team, begins her role in July pending visa approval. She will be tasked with building the Legacy, the league's 15th expansion club, from the ground up, with the team debuting in the NWSL in 2026. Advertisement 'The American league is extremely competitive, and that's one of the reasons I accepted this project,' Patão said in a club statement. 'I like competition, difficulty, and getting the players to strive for more and better. To transform themselves and always demand more of themselves. 'I know that Boston fans are passionate about the city and their teams, and I'm looking forward to building a new history with them.' In Patão, the Legacy have tapped a coach with significant experience coaching at the professional level. As the global women's game continues to grow exponentially, coaching roles in top leagues remain competitive to fill. Patão had been the head coach of Benfica's women's senior team since 2000, tallying a 156-28-15 record during her tenure. The manager has enjoyed a historic run with Benfica in that time, winning the Campeonato Nacional, Portugal's top flight, five years in a row. She also took Benfica to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Women's Champions League in 2023-2024, becoming the first Portuguese club to advance this far in the competition. Patão also led Benfica to the second round of the UWCL the following year. Patão first joined Benfica in 2007 through its youth coaching ranks. She eventually took over the U-15, U-17 and U-19 women's teams, the team said. Her experience with all levels of development appears to have been a draw for the Legacy. 'Filipa demonstrates all of the qualities that personify this club and the way we want to play: with passion, grit, and style,' the team's controlling owner Jennifer Epstein said in a club statement. 'She is a coach who loves to develop players and loves to win, and that attitude is very evident in the way she is approaching our inaugural 2026 season head-on.' In becoming the Legacy's inaugural manager, Patão will also mark the third active female head coach in the NWSL, joining Racing Louisville's Bev Yanez and Seattle Reign's Laura Harvey. That's out of 15 clubs with filled roles. NWSL Denver, the league's 16th expansion team, is joining the league next year alongside Boston, but has yet to name its inaugural head coach. The incoming coach will be tasked with building the Legacy's identity. This includes developing the team's style of play and building an entire roster starting from scratch. 'Boston is a club where we want to develop both technical identity and have a clear style of play, but also we want a coach who thinks about more than just winning games,' Legacy general manager Domè Guasch said in a statement. 'Filipa is a coach I believe can help us build a great culture where players understand they will come here to grow and learn.' Advertisement This season is also the first time NWSL expansion clubs will be without the league's usual expansion draft for player recruitment. To assist expansion teams, the league announced earlier this month new roster-building resources available to Boston and fellow expansion side NWSL Denver, including $1,065,000 in allocation money, with 50 percent of those funds provided by the NWSL.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Key milestone' as Ibrox to host more SWPL games than ever
Ibrox will host more Rangers women's matches "than ever before" next season.A club statement says the Govan ground will "become the home venue for SWPL matches, subject to scheduling clashes".However, Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld will continue "to be a venue for the women's team when Ibrox is unavailable".The club say "uncertainty of the men's European fixtures, especially midweek games, will also need to be taken into account".The statement adds: "While the club is excited to host the majority of women's games at Ibrox next season, it is important to stress that not every home game will be played there."The goal is to use Ibrox as often as possible, but scheduling conflicts will be the main factor in determining whether a game is held at Ibrox."Meanwhile, women's and girls' managing director Donald Gillies says the decision to move the majority of the club's SWPL games to Ibrox marks a "key milestone"."This is a big day for our women's first team, and indeed, the entire women's programme at Rangers," he added."Ibrox is one of the most recognisable venues anywhere in football, and to know we'll be playing even more games there than ever before will be a huge thrill for the team, and I am sure our supporters too."This move will not only help attract top talent to the team, but also ensure we continue to retain and develop our players as we push for greater success."
