Boston Legacy FC hires Filipa Patão as club's first-ever head coach
Boston Legacy FC has hired its first-ever head coach. Boston's new National Women's Soccer League team announced the hiring of Filipa Patão as the club's head coach on Wednesday.
Patão joins the Boston Legacy from Portuguese club Benfica, where she's served as head coach of the women's senior team since 2020. During her run, the club amassed a 156-28-15 record and made it to Campeonato Nacional -- Portugal's top flight -- five years in a row.
Patão started her coaching career with Benifica in 2007 as a youth coach, and moved on to take over the U-15, U-17, and then U-19 women's teams. She will begin her duties with Boston Legacy FC in July, pending approval of her visa.
"I'm very excited about going to Boston. I can't wait to get to the city, meet all the people and start working," Patão said in Wednesday's release announcing her hiring. "The American league is extremely competitive and that's one of the reasons I accepted this project: I like competition, difficulty, and getting the players to strive for more and better. To transform themselves and always demand more of themselves. I know that Boston fans are passionate about the city and their teams and I'm looking forward to building a new history with them."
New Boston Legacy FC head coach Filipa Patao.
Photo from Boston Legacy FC
"Filipa demonstrates all of the qualities that personify this club and the way we want to play: with passion, grit, and style," said Legacy FC controlling owner Jennifer Epstein. "She is a coach who loves to develop players and loves to win, and that attitude is very evident in the way she is approaching our inaugural 2026 season head-on. We can't wait to watch her build Boston's next championship team."
Boston Legacy FC is the 15th team in the National Women's Soccer League, and is set to begin play in the 2026 season.
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