Sources: San Diego Wave hire Jonas Eidevall as head coach

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Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

San Diego Wave FC has hired Jonas Eidevall as the team’s new head coach, multiple sources with knowledge of the decision told The Equalizer. Multiple sources said Eidevall has been the team’s choice for weeks, as The Equalizer’s Dan Lauletta reported on Nov. 29, and the terms of the contract required time to finalize.

Eidevall was the head coach at Arsenal for three full seasons in England’s Women’s Super League before resigning in October amid the Gunners’ poor start to the season. Arsenal finished either second or third in the league in each of the team’s three seasons under Eidevall. The Gunners reached the semifinals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League in 2023.

A Wave spokesperson could not be reached for comment.

San Diego has been without a full-time head coach since firing Casey Stoney in June. The Wave went through two interim coaches since, the most recent being former United States men’s international Landon Donovan.

The Wave announced on Nov. 18 that Donovan would not return as head coach following his interim stint (3W-6L-1D in 10 league games), and that the team was in “the final stages” of a search for a new head coach. Paul Buckle served as interim coach prior to Donovan taking over.

Eidevall is a Swedish coach who turns 42 in January. Prior to Arsenal, he primarily coached in Sweden, including multiple stints with FC Rosengård.

San Diego finished in 10th place in the NWSL in 2024, one season after winning the Shield. The Wave signed Stoney to a new contract through 2027 only a few months before firing her amid a poor start to the 2024 season.

Stoney was the first head coach in San Diego Wave history, guiding the expansion club to the playoffs in 2022 — a first for an NWSL expansion team — and the Shield the following year. She was named the 2022 NWSL Coach of the Year in her first season in charge.

In September, the Wave missed out on advancing to the semifinals of the new Concacaf Champions Cup due to an inferior goal difference in the group stage.