Chicago Stars Appoint New Head Coach
The Chicago Stars, currently struggling in the NWSL standings, have officially appointed Martin Sjögren as their new head coach. This decision comes from multiple reports confirmed by ESPN, indicating Sjögren’s transition from his current role at Hammarby, a leading team in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan. Sjögren’s anticipated arrival at the Stars is expected in January 2026, right before the upcoming NWSL season begins.
Current Season Struggles
The Swedish league, where Sjögren has been coaching, draws to a close in November, just days before the NWSL Championship Game. Hammarby is slated to participate in the UEFA Women’s Champions League play-in matches this month.
The Stars are currently having a difficult season, positioned 13th out of 14 in the league and managing only one win in 15 matches. With 11 games remaining, they find themselves just two points ahead of the bottom-placed Utah Royals. The team has seen a lot of turnover in coaching this year; interim head coach Ella Masar is now leading the squad, following the departure of Lorne Donaldson, who was dismissed in late April after securing a playoff spot the previous season. Masaki Hemmi took over briefly as interim during the interim period but left in July to assume a coaching position at Lexington SC, another women’s league team in the United States.
Sjögren’s Coaching Background
Sjögren has an extensive coaching history in Swedish women’s soccer and is perhaps most recognized for his tenure with Norway’s national women’s team from 2016 to 2022. Under his leadership, Norway reached the quarterfinals of the 2019 World Cup, although they did not advance past the group stages in either the 2017 or 2022 European Championships. After his resignation following the 2022 Euros, Sjögren joined Hammarby, where he led the team to a third-place finish in his inaugural season.
