The Portland Thorns have appointed Robert Vilahamn as their new head coach, sources confirmed to ESPN. The Swedish coach spent the last two seasons at Tottenham Hotspur's women's team, where he led them to a sixth-place finish in the Women's Super League and an FA Cup final appearance before being dismissed last June.

The Thorns conducted an extensive search throughout the off-season, interviewing multiple candidates from both inside and outside the NWSL. Vilahamn entered their radar later in the process, with Portland ultimately choosing someone with international experience over domestic options. The timing of the hire means Vilahamn will have minimal preseason preparation before the 2026 season begins.

Vilahamn takes over a team with championship pedigree but recent inconsistency. The three-time NWSL champions last won a trophy in 2022 and have cycled through coaches since then. He arrives without any prior NWSL experience, joining other league coaches who previously worked in Sweden, including former North Carolina Courage manager Mak Lind. The 40-year-old will need to secure a work visa before potentially taking charge of Portland's March 13 season opener against the Washington Spirit.