Calgary Wild FC Lassos Australia's Leah Blayney as New Head Coach

Blayney named second head coach in Calgary Wild FC’s young history

CALGARY - Calgary Wild FC are riding into Stampede week with a new head coach.

Alberta’s only professional women’s sports team ushered in an exciting new chapter by naming internationally respected women’s football coach, Leah Blayney, as the second head coach in the club’s young history.

“Leah is a respected and progressive coach in the women’s game,” said Lara Murphy, chief executive officer, Calgary Wild FC. “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.”

The Calgary Wild FC engaged Barbara Lockhart of SmartHire to complete the global wide search that attracted more than 100 extremely qualified candidates. SmartHire has been a leading search agency in the sport industry, having also recently completed searches for the Canadian Premier League and Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment.

Blayney will arrive in the Stampede City, July 8 - just four days after celebrating her 40th birthday - with more than two decades of elite football experience as both a player and coach. Her career to date is highlighted by achieving success in leadership roles with the Australian and Japanese women’s national team programs.

“This opportunity stands out for me because of both the potential of the Club and the League. 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,” 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.

“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.”

Blayney most recently served as an Assistant Coach with Japan’s Women’s National 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. Prior to joining Japan, she spent five years as U20 Women’s Head Coach and leading Australia’s Future Matildas program, where she coached the country’s U20 National Team to consecutive FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup appearances and a bronze medal at the 2024 AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup. In recognition of her success, she was named a finalist for the 2024 AFC Women’s Coach of the Year award.

“I’ve worked in different football environments, and whenever a country invests in its own professional league, it creates more opportunities for players, coaches and staff. I believe the Northern Super League has a really bright future, and I’m excited to play my part in that by helping Calgary Wild FC be as successful as it can be,” added Blayney, who also played NCAA D1 soccer with Central Connecticut State and Auburn University.

“My coaching philosophy centres around creating teams that are connected, adaptable and relentlessly competitive. It’s clear to me there is a genuine commitment throughout Calgary Wild FC to continue building and moving forward. I want our players to play with confidence, intensity and purpose, while always competing for each other.”

A member of Australia’s National Team from 2003 to 2009, where she represented the Matildas in the midfield, earning 16 caps in addition to playing at the U20 (2006) and U19 (2004) Women’s World Cups, Blayney played professionally with Boston in the National Women’s Soccer League before rounding out her playing career in Sweden. After transitioning to coaching, she played an integral role in the development of some of Australia’s brightest stars. She now turns her attention to helping shape the next generation of talent while building a winning culture at Calgary Wild FC.

“The immediate priority is to establish our identity,” added Blayney, whose career came to an end due to injury. “That means implementing clear principles of play, improving consistency from week to week, building confidence within the squad and creating habits that will serve us well beyond this season. While we want to be competitive immediately, we’re equally focused on putting the right foundations in place for long-term success.”

Blayney will begin her duties immediately as Calgary Wild FC prepares for its Wild West Match at McMahon Stadium on July 11, when the club hosts Vancouver Rise FC at 5 p.m. MDT.

About Calgary Wild FC

Calgary Wild FC is one of six teams in the Northern Super League which began in 2025, featuring some of the best women’s soccer players in the world. Shop our exclusive merch and be one of the early #fansinthewild. For the latest news and information on Calgary Wild FC, visit www.calgarywildfc.com or follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and X. Follow the league at www.nsl.ca.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Chris Dornan
Calgary Wild FC
T: 403-620-8731
E-mail: ChrisDornan@calgarywildfc.com