In the absence of suspended coach Bev Priestman, a committee will lead the Canadian women’s soccer team in its upcoming friendly against Spain.

Former Canadian international Diana Matheson will join coaches Andy Spence, Jen Herst and Neil Wood to lead the Maple Leafs in the October 25 match in Almendralejo, Spain.

Matheson, the Northern Super League co-founder, will play a supporting role to the interim coaching team, “providing leadership and serving as a resource to both staff and players.”

The staff will also include Quebecer Maryse Bard-Martel, who has been named interim performance analyst, and Vancouver Whitecaps women’s elite prospects coach Katie Collar, who has been named interim technical assistant.

Soccer Canada said the interim staff “will work collaboratively to support the team throughout the October window.”

FIFA has handed Priestman a one-year ban for her role in the drone spying scandal during the women’s soccer tournament at the Paris Olympics.

Assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi are also serving one-year bans after the New Zealand Olympic Committee filed a complaint with the International Olympic Committee’s integrity unit alleging drones flew over two of their training sessions leading up to the start of the Olympic tournament.

Priestman is still being paid by Soccer Canada pending the outcome of an independent investigation into the spying story being led by Sonia Regenbogen of Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark.

Matheson, 40, was capped 206 times to represent Canada internationally before announcing her retirement and taking over the Canadian women’s professional soccer championship.

The Canadian squad will feature a strong roster of experienced players, including captain Jessie Fleming, goaltender Kailen Sheridan, defenders Kadeisha Buchanan, Ashley Lawrence and Shelina Zadorsky, as well as forwards Janine Beckie, Jordyn Huitema, Adriana Leon, Nichelle Prince and Deanne Rose.

It will be the Canadians’ first international match since Aug. 3, when they lost in a shootout to Germany at the Paris Olympics. Spence led the team in France in Priestman’s absence.

The Canadians are ranked sixth in the world, while reigning Women’s World Cup champions Spain are third.

Canada and Spain have met three times before, and the Europeans lead those duels 2-0-1.