Carlos Cordeiro Announces Resignation as U.S. Soccer President

CHICAGO (March 12, 2020) – Carlos Cordeiro has announced his resignation as U.S. Soccer President, effective immediately. Cindy Parlow Cone, U.S. Soccer’s current Vice President, will serve as President of U.S. Soccer until the next Annual General Meeting. Parlow Cone, 41, becomes the first female President of U.S. Soccer and second former U.S. National Team player to hold the position.

Parlow Cone will serve as President until the 2021 U.S. Soccer Annual General Meeting next February in Atlanta. At that time, there will be an election for U.S. Soccer President for a one-year term to see out Cordeiro’s original tenure. In 2022, the regular election for U.S. Soccer President will be held for the next four-year term.

“I want to thank Carlos for his many years of hard work and dedication on behalf of U.S. Soccer,” said Parlow Cone. “He is a good man with a good heart and his significant work to help bring the 2026 World Cup to the United States will have a positive impact for generations. The passion that has come to the surface in the past two days is what inspires me to look forward, to work hard towards mending relationships and moving the game forward for all.”

Parlow Cone played for the U.S. Women’s National Team from 1996-2004 and was a member of the historic 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup championship team. She also won two Olympic gold medals (1996, 2004) in a career that spanned 158 caps and saw her score 75 international goals, which is eighth all-time in U.S. history. Werner Fricker, who was U.S. Soccer President from 1984-1990, played for the U.S. Men’s National Team between 1963-1967.

Inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2018, Parlow Cone was a four-time All-American at the University of North Carolina and was on teams that won three NCAA titles. She was also the first head coach to win a National Women’s Soccer League championship, guiding Portland Thorns FC to the title in 2013 during the league’s inaugural season. She currently works with the North Carolina FC Youth program as the Girls’ Director of Coaching for the Durham/Chapel Hill teams.

She was elected as Vice President of U.S. Soccer in February of 2019 at the U.S. Soccer Annual General Meeting serving in the position for a year, completing the term that was vacated by Cordeiro when he was elected as president in 2018. Parlow Cone then was re-elected to a full, four-year term at the 2020 AGM this past February.

Cordeiro was elected at the 2018 Annual General Meeting, becoming the 32^nd President of the U.S. Soccer Federation. In his time as President, Cordeiro played a major role in bringing the 2026 FIFA World Cup to the United States. He had served in various roles with U.S. Soccer beginning in 2007, when he was appointed as the Federation’s first Independent Director. Cordeiro served as Vice President in 2016 and 2017 before running for President.