RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Pia Sundhage was fired as coach of the Brazilian women's soccer team on Wednesday in the wake of a disappointing performance at the Women’s World Cup.

Brazil failed to reach the knockout stage for the first time since 1995, prompting the country's soccer confederation to make a change.

The 63-year-old Swede had been under contract through the 2024 Paris Olympics after becoming the national team's first foreign coach when she was hired in July 2019.

The confederation said a replacement will be named in the coming days.

Local media has reported Corinthians women's team coach Arthur Elias, who has won several national and continental club titles in recent years, is the favorite.

Sundhage previously led the United States women to two Olympic titles. Her Brazil team lost in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

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