Canada Soccer announced on Wednesday that Priestman will take charge of Canada beginning on Nov. 1 as the team continues preparations for Tokyo 2021. The agreement will see her coach throughout the next four years.
Priestman is most known for her time with the Lionesses as Phil Neville’s assistant coach, helping the side to a fourth-place finish in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg given her long resume when it comes to coaching.
Priestman most recently coached England’s Women’s U-18 national team and was scheduled to compete at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2021 before COVID-19 forced the competition to be postponed. Before that, she helped England finish fourth in the France 2019 and also helped Great Britain qualify for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Before joining England at the start of 2018, Priestman spent five years working with Canada Soccer as National EXCEL (youth program) Director, U-15 to U-23. During that time, she served as head coach at two FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cups, one Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship, three Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championships and one Concacaf Under-15 Championship.
Priestman worked with the national team as an assistant coach, notably serving as a technical assistant at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015, the 2016 Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship and the Rio 2016 Olympics where she helped Canada win its second consecutive bronze medal.
Before Canada, Priestman worked for New Zealand Football for four and a half years, serving as the Head of Football Development before.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Bev Priestman back to Canada Soccer as our Women’s National Team Head Coach,” said Steven Reed, Canada Soccer President. “Bev’s contributions leading the Women’s National EXCEL Program and supporting the Women’s National Team as an Assistant Coach during her five-years with Canada Soccer set a solid foundation for success across all levels of the Women’s National Team Program and we are excited to have her bring her recent experience, vision and leadership to her new role.”
“It is an honor and privilege to return to Canada to lead such a talented group of players and a team with a fantastic history,” said Bev Priestman, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team Head Coach. “With a great blend of experience and youth, I’m excited as to what we can achieve together over the next quadrennial. I would like to thank Canada Soccer for this fantastic opportunity. Our immediate focus is the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 next year and then subsequently building towards the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia/New Zealand 2023™ where ultimately Canada should be on that podium. I look forward to connecting with the great group of staff and players ready to head into the Olympic year of 2021 focused and ready to give it our all.”
Priestman steps into the shoes of former Canada Soccer’s women’s national team head coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller, stepped down in June 2020. He was Priestman’s replacement as Canada Soccer National EXCEL Director after she left for England in 2018.
