Vancouver Rise dismiss head coach Anja Heiner-Moller

The Vancouver Rise have parted ways with head coach Anja Heiner-Moller with six games remaining in the 2026 Northern Super League regular season. The decision follows a 1-0 defeat to the Halifax Tides, a match decided by a stoppage-time goal.

Heiner-Moller, the club’s first head coach, departs with an 18-18-8 record and the 2025 Diana B. Matheson Cup title. Following her departure, assistant coach Iain Darbyshire has been appointed as interim head coach. Darbyshire previously managed Cardiff City Women in Wales.

Vancouver currently sits just outside the playoff positions, trailing the Halifax Tides by one point. The club’s chief soccer officer, Robyn Gayle, stated that the decision was difficult but necessary to meet the high standards set by the organization as they push to finish the season successfully.