There will be a new president of U.S. Soccer come February as a replacement for Sunil Gulati will be elected as the federation looks towards the future, with its goal to improve the foundations of the sport, get the men's national team back on track and more. Here's everything you need to know.
When's the election?
On Saturday, February 10 at the National Council Meeting in Orlando, Fla.
How many candidates are there and how did they get there?
Eight, and no more can be added. Each candidate had to submit and pass a background check, and they also had to submit at least three letters of nomination on official letterhead from an organization member and/or one of three athlete representatives on the board of directors by December 12.
How many people vote and who are they?
According to U.S. Soccer, votes come from members of the national council, which derive from the following constituencies:
1) 91 state associations (55 youth state associations and 54 adult associations, of which 18 are considered "joint" state associations), national associations, and professional leagues receive votes apportioned through respective councils
2) voting members of the Athletes Council
3) voting members of the Board of Directors
4) Each past president of the federation
5) Each life member
6) delegates from each national association, affiliate, other affiliates, disabled service organization and associate
7) delete(s) selected by individual sustaining members
The number of voters depends on the number of registered members for the National Council Meeting, further subject to federal law guaranteeing minimum representations by athletes.
Voting is done by secret electronic ballot, and majority vote wins.
How does voting work?
- Athletes Council receives at least 20 percent of the votes
- Youth, adult and professional councils have equal voting percentages as determined by the Credentials Committee
- The remaining delegates get one vote each
Here's the example U.S. Soccer uses:
- Athletes Council voted 20 percent of the votes.
- Youth, adult and professional councils voted 25.8 percent of the votes, each.
- The remaining deletes voted an aggregate 2.6 percent of the votes.
Who are the candidates?
- Paul Caligiuri
- Kathy Carter
- Carlos Cordeiro
- Steve Gans
- Kyle Martino
- Hope Solo
- Michael Winograd
- Eric Wynalda
Candidate breakdown
Caligiuri
Experience: He's a former player in MLS, overseas, with the U.S. men's national team and also has coaching experience.
Main points: Will certainly want to get the men's national team back on track but he hasn't really been vocal as a candidate, so it's hard to point to what he wants to accomplish.
Carter
Experience: President of Soccer United Marketing.
Main points: Inequality on the women's side of the game when it comes to pay, having a strategic plan on the technical side and business side, more athlete representation.
Cordeiro
Experience: U.S. Soccer vice president, formerly an executive with Goldman Sachs.
Main points: Getting U.S. Soccer to be globally competitive, get the 2027 Women's World Cup to be played in the United States and increase federation's financial strength, as SI.com points out.
Gans
Experience: An attorney who played for years. Also asked to work on both legal and business aspects of Boston's bid to become a host playing site for 1994 World Cup.
Main points: Transparency, boosting the technical instruction, equality. Here's his campaign website.
Martino
Experience: A player on all levels, analyst and has experience in finance.
Main points: Growing the sport from the ground up, listening to the state and local associations on what he can do to help them.
Solo
Experience: Former player with the women's national team.
Main points: To help kids get into the game who don't have economic resources, and as the San Franciso Chronicle reports, fight for the players against the federation that she says "will do anything to protect their own means and vision and not necessarily do what their constituents want."
Winograd
Experience: A lawyer, former general manager and professional player.
Main points: Help fund youth soccer and make it a possibility for more kids, coaching education and transparency.
Wynalda
Experience: Former USMNT player, coach and soccer analyst.
Main points: Stabilizing lower leagues, adopting the European schedule for American leagues, getting the women better compensation and fixing, what he calls, a "fragmented" U.S. Soccer.
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