Portland Thorns FC have announced the appointment of Robert Vilahamn as their new head coach, pending receipt of his P1 visa. Vilahamn joins the club with managerial experience at the highest levels of the women's game. He was most recently the head coach of Tottenham Hotspur Women in England's WSL between 2023-25, leading the team to their first Women's FA Cup final in his first season. Prior to his stint in England, Vilahamn was a member of both men's and women's sides at BK Häcken in Gothenburg, Sweden. He joined as an assistant coach for the men's side in 2020 and helped the team clinch qualification to the inaugural UEFA Conference League as well as an appearance in the 2021 Swedish Cup final. He would make the jump to the women's team in 2021 to serve as their head coach and led them until July 2023. Under his direction, BK Häcken clinched UEFA Women's Champions League qualification each season and made consecutive Swedish Cup finals in 2022 and 2023. Vilahamn was a former striker himself who began his footballing career at age 17 in the Swedish top-flight and it was with his final club, Ytterby IS, that Vilahamn took his first steps into the managerial world by assuming the role of player-coach, helping the team secure back-to-back league promotions in 2008 and 2009. His efforts lead to spells as the U-19 Head Coach at Örgryte IS and Qviding FIF, leading the latter to consecutive league promotions in 2018 and 2019. Off the pitch, Vilahamn has a track record of using football and education as positive vehicles for change. He has his own soccer academy in Uganda that promotes education and development opportunities and was part-owner of Gignation, a digital platform founded to improve hiring and work conditions for substitute teachers in Sweden. The Thorns open the 2026 NWSL season on the road at Washington Spirit on Friday, March 13. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. PT on Prime Video. Fans interested in purchasing Thorns tickets for the 2026 NWSL season are encouraged to call the Thorns ticket office.