Boston Legacy FC has officially named Filipa Patão as the club’s first-ever head coach, a historic appointment as the team prepares to join the NWSL in 2026.

The 36-year-old Portuguese coach brings an elite resume to Boston following a dominant tenure with SL Benfica in the Liga BPI, Portugal’s top-flight women’s soccer league, where she led them to five consecutive league titles, domestic cup success, and a breakthrough UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign that culminated in a 2023–24 quarterfinal appearance, a first for any Portuguese club.

Patão will begin her role in July, pending visa approval.

“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. “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.”

In addition to her domestic dominance, Patão was one of six nominees for the inaugural 2024 Ballon d’Or Women’s Coach of the Year. Her rise through the Benfica system began in 2007 with the U-15s, followed by success at every youth level before she took over the senior team in 2020. She’s also a former professional player, having represented the Portugal national team.

Now, her next chapter begins in Boston.

Boston Legacy FC will compete in the NWSL beginning in 2026, playing its first season at Gillette Stadium. The club is owned by an all-female investment group and aims to establish itself as both a force in the league and a pillar in the local community.

With Patão at the helm, Boston’s newest team is already building a bold foundation.