U.S. Soccer CEO Will Willson will step down after less than three years in charge

U.S. Soccer CEO and secretary general Will Wilson will step down from his position on October 31

U.S. Soccer CEO and secretary general Will Wilson will step down from his position on October 31 to “pursue new professional ventures and opportunities,” the federation announced on Friday.

Wilson was named to the role in March 2020 and replaced Dan Flynn, who had been in the job for almost 20 years when he departed.

“It has been an honor to work with the U.S. Soccer board and the dedicated executives and staff at the federation, and especially with Cindy Parlow Cone, during this pivotal time in sports and for the organization,” Wilson said in a statement.

“My goal has always been to make sure the federation was in a better place than when I started, and I’m stepping away knowing that the organization is positioned for continued long-term global success.”

U.S. Soccer said its “Board of Directors will immediately begin a nationwide search for Wilson’s successor.”

Wilson’s time as CEO

Though Wilson’s time as CEO was relatively brief, he did oversee an eventful period in the federation’s history.

Most notably, U.S. Soccer agreed to landmark collective bargaining agreements with its women’s and men’s national teams last month, ending an extended period of turmoil between the federation and the USWNT.

In addition to the new CBAs, Wilson also oversaw U.S. Soccer’s eight-year media rights deal with Turner Sports that was signed this March, as well as a 10-year extension of its partnership with Nike that began all the way back in 1995.

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