After an initial miscalculation, Boston Legacy FC of the NWSL officially launched in late March. Their debut season will commence in the spring of 2026. 

After Boston Legacy FC confirmed they would play in Gillette Stadium, they snatched up their head coach. On Friday, Filipa Patão was hired to be the club's first coach, per Jeff Kassouf of ESPN. 

Patão, 36, is a native of Portugal who has coached the Benefica team since 2020. She has led the team to five consecutive championship titles in the Campeonato Nacional Feminino. In 2023-2024, Patão guided the Portuguese team to the quarterfinals in the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time in their history. 

Last year, Patão was one of six finalists for the coveted Ballon d'Or's first Women's Coach of the Year award. It ended up going to USWNT coach Emma Hayes. Patão's addition to the team comes at a time when it is still trying to get off the ground. 

The current state of Boston Legacy FC 

The club broke ground in 2023 but then experienced some logistical problems, which it is still trying to recover from. 

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Before Gillette Stadium, Boston Legacy FC was scheduled to play at the White Stadium in Boston. However, construction issues delayed the opening and pushed it back a year. 

Therefore, the White Stadium will become available during the 2027 NWSL season. The club will play at Gillette Stadium alongside the New England Revolution of MLS, looking to expand an already existing soccer fanbase. 

They will also arrange to play around the 2026 FIFA World Cup games. Boston is one of two new teams expected to start in the NWSL next year. 

The other team is in Denver, as the NWSL is looking to expand from 16 teams to 30. Last year, the league expanded to include Utah Royals FC and Bay FC (Bay Area).