Calgary Wild FC has named internationally respected women's football coach Leah Blayney as the second head coach in the club's young history, ending a search that lasted more than four months after the departure of the original gaffer, Lydia Bedford, in early March.
Blayney Brings Elite International Experience
Blayney arrives with more than two decades of elite football experience as both a player and coach. She most recently served as an assistant coach with Japan's national women's team, helping guide the squad to the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup title, the 2025 SheBelieves Cup championship and qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. Her career also includes leadership roles with the Australian women's national team program.
“Leah is a respected and progressive coach in the women's game,” said Wild FC CEO Lara Murphy. “Her experience at the highest levels of international football, her proven ability to develop players and her commitment to building high-performance environments made her the clear choice to lead Calgary Wild FC into its next chapter. We are thrilled to welcome Leah to Calgary.”
Long-Awaited Hire After Tough Season
The move comes far too long after the franchise lost its original gaffer, Lydia Bedford, in early March, when she accepted the gig to coach England's under-23 side. The club — which has gone winless and boasts just two draws in nine games since Bedford's departure — hopes the hiring was well worth the wait. It had better be, given Wild's second campaign is already lost with an 0-7-2 start to it.
Wild engaged Barbara Lockhart of SmartHire to complete the global wide search that attracted “more than 100 extremely qualified candidates.” SmartHire is a renowned search agency in the sport industry, having also recently completed searches for the Canadian Premier League and Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment.
Blayney's Vision for the Club
Blayney arrives in Calgary on Wednesday — just four days after celebrating her 40th birthday. Then she steps into her duties immediately, as Wild FC prepares for its Wild West Match on Saturday when the club hosts Vancouver Rise FC at McMahon Stadium at 5 p.m.
“This opportunity stands out for me because of both the potential of the club and the league,” said Blayney, who previously relocated to Europe to accompany 20 Japanese players overseas, where she developed strong, collaborative relationships with some of the world's biggest clubs. “The Northern Super League is at an exciting stage of its development, and the chance to help shape a team in it is something that really appeals to me. For me, personally, this is also an opportunity to be a part of creating something meaningful, to build an environment and a team with a clear identity, with elite standards, a culture and a style of football the players believe in and the people can identify with.”
