Canada Soccer looks set to appoint former Manchester United and San Diego Wave manager Casey Stoney as their new head coach.

Andy Spence is currently in charge of the women’s team after having taken over from Bev Priestman, who was handed a one-year coaching suspension from soccer by FIFA when it emerged she had ordered an analyst to fly a drone over a New Zealand training session at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Priestman was sacked in October 2024 following an independent investigation, which led to Spence taking charge. However, it now looks as though Stoney will take over.

The Athletic report Stoney has agreed to terms and will be officially announced soon. The 42-year-old, who during her playing days captained England, previously coached Manchester United and San Diego Wave.

Stoney also played for Arsenal, Charlton Athletic, Chelsea and Liverpool, before entering the coaching world in 2018 with United. The Athletic also added a reply to their story from Canada Soccer, which did not deny the claim Stoney was set to become their new manager.

“The search is ongoing and is confidential, and we are not commenting on the accuracy of any rumors,” replied Paulo Senra, Canada Soccer’s chief communications officer, adding: “When there is news to report, you will hear it directly from us.”

Casey Stoney

Stoney last coached with San Diego Wave ( 

Image:

Getty)

During her time in charge of Manchester United, Stoney guided the club to the FA Women’s Championship title in 2019, earning them promotion to the FA Women’s Super League. But, in 2021, Stoney stepped down from her position in order to take up the San Diego Wave job.

In her first season in charge of the Wave, she won the NWSL’s Coach of the Year award, for 2022, guiding San Diego to the semi-finals of the NWSL playoffs, where they were defeated by eventual champions Portland Thorns 2-1. She helped the Wave to the NWSL Shield the season after in 2023, and then the NWSL Challenge Cup last year. However, Stoney was fired in June 2024 with the club sitting ninth in the NWSL table midway through the season.

“When I was offered the life-changing opportunity to move to San Diego it was my goal to create something special,” Stoney said in a statement on Instagram following her dismissal.

She added: “I came her to try and make a difference and to be about the players and for the players every single day…in every decision I made,” before concluding her lengthy statement: “I am bitterly disappointed that I wasn’t given the time to bring a Championship to San Diego.”