NWSL Launches Investigation into Bay FC Coaching Staff Amid "Toxic Culture" Claims
National Women's Soccer League commissioner Jessica Berman confirmed on Friday that an investigation has been opened into Bay FC's technical staff following serious allegations about the team's work environment.
According to initial reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle, two former Bay FC players have described the culture under head coach Albertin Montoya as "toxic." The publication also reported that the league received at least one formal complaint in which a player alleged she experienced "bullying" by Montoya.
"A review is underway by an independent third party, and we're very confident that the system we have in place will ensure that we surface the issues that need to be addressed," Berman stated. She added that the league will "continue to work with all of our clubs, our technical staff and our players to make sure that we're achieving our goal of creating a safe, healthy working environment."
ESPN has subsequently confirmed the reports that an investigation is taking place.
The timing of these allegations is particularly challenging for the league, coming just one week before the start of the 2025 season. It also follows closely on the heels of a significant $5 million settlement the NWSL reached with several state attorneys general. That settlement closed ongoing investigations and provided compensation for athletes following revelations of "systemic" abuse that were uncovered in reports from 2022.
Bay FC, based in California, now finds itself at the center of a controversy that echoes previous concerns about player treatment in the league, just as the NWSL had been working to move forward from earlier scandals related to coach conduct and player safety.
