Reports: Former Canada coach Bev Priestman touted to take over Wellington Phoenix FC

By Canadian Press on July 29, 2025.

WELLINGTON — Bev Priestman, who lost her job as Canada coach in the wake of the Paris Olympic drone-spying scandal, is set to take over the Wellington Phoenix FC women’s team in New Zealand, according to local reports.

The club hinted at the hire with a social media post showing a hand knocking on a door with the sign “Wellington Phoenix A-League Women’s Head Coach” and the tagline “Tomorrow.”

Wellington finished ninth in Australia’s 12-team A-League last season at 7-13-3.

In May, Wellington announced that assistant coach Amy Shepherd would serve as interim head coach until a permanent appointment is made in late July, which coincides with the end of Priestman’s one-year FIFA ban.

Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joey Lombardi were all handed one-year suspensions by FIFA in the wake of New Zealand’s Olympic Committee filing a complaint with the International Olympic Committee’s integrity unit, alleging drones were flown over a pair of pre-tournament practice sessions. All three are no longer with Canada Soccer.

The 39-year-old Priestman has ties to the Wellington club through her wife Emma Humphries, a former New Zealand international who is the club’s academy director.

Priestman spent five years with Canada Soccer in a variety of coaching roles before returning in June 2018 to her native England, where she served as coach of England’s women’s under-18 side and assistant coach with the senior English women.

Priestman succeeded Kenneth Heiner-Moller as Canada women’s coach in November 2020 and was a nominee for FIFA Women’s Best Coach in 2021 and 2022.

In her first go-round with Canada Soccer, Priestman served as director of its developmental EXCEL program and had stints as coach of the under-15, under-17 and under-20 women’s sides. She was also an assistant coach to John Herdman while he was in charge of the women’s team.

Before that, she spent 4 1/2 years with New Zealand Football, serving as head of football development before leaving in June 2013 to join Herdman in Canada.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2025

The Canadian Press