To our U.S. Soccer Membership,
First, I want to thank everyone in our U.S. Soccer family for their hard work, patience and consideration as we all navigate perhaps the most unusual time in the recent history of the world, our country and our sport.
The most important thing to do during these times is care for yourself and your loved ones while continuing to have a respect for humanity, as this is a world issue and we will get through it as a community. Eventually, the players will return to the field and the fans to the stands, and in a sense, U.S. Soccer will start anew as well.
As you all know, my new role as President is not a role I was seeking, but I believe we are sometimes asked to step forward to do unexpected things. I wholeheartedly accept this responsibility to serve the Federation and will work tirelessly to lead the board, our vast and varied membership, our players and our staff through these challenging times. My commitment is to be the very best President I can for the many people and organizations that comprise the U.S. Soccer family.
As I hope you have heard, we have recently hired a vastly experienced, intelligent and passionate CEO in Will Wilson. He and I will work closely together to chart the path forward for U.S. Soccer as a business and as a leading force to continue to grow the sport we all love.
Please know that while our soccer community is vast and the goals of different organizations may at times not align perfectly, it's our goal at U.S. Soccer to be a leader that can help bridge gaps, make informed decisions, and provide guidance to do what is best for the player, fan, coach, referee and administrator, who are all so important to what we do.
We are at a unique moment in the history of soccer in the United States. While we have great achievements to point to -- including the World Champion U.S. Women's National Team and the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States -- we also know we also have some major challenges ahead.
I have voiced my extreme disappointment in the language that was used in our legal filing. Those statements do not represent our legal case, and they run contrary to my values and our values as an organization. As a former national team player, the language was personally hurtful. Further it harms our game, and every woman and girl. We have since transitioned to a new law firm as our lead counsel, and moving forward, Will and I will provide leadership to make sure nothing like that ever happens again.
We only have one Federation and one senior Women's National Team. We must work together in a collaborative and positive manner to reach our shared goals of growing the game and winning, while at the same time understanding that our responsibility goes far beyond just our senior National Teams.
I feel strongly that our new leadership will chart a new path for U.S. Soccer, and I am committed to addressing all matters, both positive and negative, in an honest, transparent and forthright manner.
The fact remains that soccer in America has made tremendous progress in the past 25 years, and I know we can and must continue that growth into the future. To get there, I look forward to working with all of you, and I am committed to positive communication to create the best possible environments across the entire spectrum of our sport and stay focused on our mission of making soccer the preeminent sport in the USA.
The most important thing we can do right now is stay safe and healthy and help each other. Please don't hesitate to reach out for any help and assistance you may need in these very difficult times.
Best Regards,
Cindy Parlow Cone
U.S. Soccer President
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