Former Canada Coach Bev Priestman Ends FIFA Ban, Joins Wellington Phoenix New Zealand

Bev Priestman, the former head coach of Canada’s women’s soccer team, revealed she did not feel safe living in Canada following her one-year suspension for her role in a drone spying scandal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The scandal involved flying drones over New Zealand’s training sessions, leading to a FIFA ban for Priestman and two other staff members, as well as her removal as Canada’s coach. After the suspension ended, Priestman was appointed as the manager of Wellington Phoenix Women in New Zealand, where her wife Emma Humphries is the club’s academy director. Priestman described the intense media scrutiny and threats she faced in Canada, which led her family to decide to leave the country. She acknowledged that the scandal clouded her judgment but expressed a strong desire to return to coaching and contribute positively to her new club. Priestman had a successful tenure with Canada, including winning Olympic gold in Tokyo 2021, and aims to bring special moments to Wellington and New Zealand soccer.