IN THIS ISSUE
😢 Introduction: The United States is a Soccer Nation
⚽️ Soccer Jobs: 18+ new jobs in soccer
⏭️ Career Tips: The next 5 Years
📰 Extra Extra: New MLS Commissioner
INTRODUCTION
Hello, Pathwayers -
It’s hard to believe it, but after 39 days, 104 games, 308 goals, and a newly-crowned champion, the World Cup has come to a close.
And, despite a lot of trepidation and difficult headlines before the tournament, you can’t call this World Cup anything other than a rousing success.
The numbers are staggering:
66.4M TV viewers for the Spain-Argentina final
50.1M TV viewers for the U.S. vs. Belgium match
44.8M TV viewers for England vs. Mexico
And 6,810,966 in total attendance across the tournament
If you had any doubts that the United States was fully and completely a soccer nation, the last six weeks should have put all those doubts to rest.
Of course, now the question is - what happens next?
It’s a question that doesn’t have an immediate answer, but for those who want to build their careers in the sport, I’m sharing a few thoughts for your consideration below.
And to end with a bit of good news - we’re only 337 days away from the Women’s World Cup in Brazil. I can’t wait.
-Kyle Sheldon, Co-Founder & CEO
PS: We JUST launched our newsletter storefront - you can now sponsor the newsletter, post a featured job, or ensure a job listing in our weekly rundown.
FEATURED JOB:
ACADEMY HEAD COACH
Our friends at Austin FC are currently looking to hire three Academy Head Coach roles - at the U14, U15 and U18 level. These positions play a critical role in the Academy department and are tasked to create an optimal environment for player development for elite level talents and aspiring professional soccer players. Interested? Apply below.
Want to promote your open role? We’ve got options
NEW SOCCER JOBS
Take a moment to review some new soccer jobs that we’ve listed below - if you decide to throw your hat in the ring, good luck!
Manager, MLS Features - MLS
Ticket Sales Executive - Bay FC
Senior Performance Therapist - US Soccer
Assistant Groundskeeper - Columbus Crew
Assistant Men’s Coach - Gonzaga University
Director, Performance Nutrition - US Soccer
Assistant Women’s Coach - Newberry College
Sport Performance Coach - Phoenix Rising FC
Specialist, Equipment Operations - US Soccer
Manager, Performance Marketing - Angel City FC
Senior Manager, Corporate Partnerships - Austin FC
Head of Physical Performance - Sporting Kansas City
Head of Marketing & Communications - Kings League
Coordinator, Communications - Charlotte Independence
Coordinator, Communications - Los Angeles Football Club
⚽️ CAREER TIP: THE WORLD CUP IS OVER. NOW THE REAL OPPORTUNITY BEGINS.
For the six weeks, it felt like almost the entire country was watching soccer.
Stadiums were packed, there were viewing parties everywhere, and casual fans were turning into real fans right before our eyes. You could feel it happening.
And now the tournament is over.
But, here’s something I believe whole-heartedly:
The World Cup wasn't the finish line. It was the starting gun.
WHY THE NEXT 5 YEARS MATTER MORE THAN THE LAST FIVE
Everything that just happened…
The packed stadiums
The viral, global moments
The Country Roads singalong at USMNT games
The brands activating around the sport for the first time
The television viewership
…didn't evaporate when the final whistle blew.
It accelerated something.
Companies that watched 150,000 people pack Times Square are now making investment decisions.
Brands that saw young adults tune into the World Cup at a higher rate than the NBA Finals are now shifting their budget.
Leagues that watched new fans discover the sport for the first time are continuing to build the infrastructure to keep them.
The decisions being made right now, in boardrooms and front offices across the country, will shape the next decade of professional soccer in America.
And those decisions create jobs.
WHAT'S BEING BUILT RIGHT NOW
The infrastructure the World Cup required didn't disappear after the tournament.
Stadiums were upgraded, broadcast capacity expanded, content and storytelling went to the next level, and fan experience standards were raised.
That infrastructure now exists, and clubs across every level of the sport are figuring out how to use it year-round.
At the same time:
MLS expansion may unlock new markets
MLS NEXT Pro is growing with institutional backing behind it
The NWSL is investing aggressively ahead of two Women's World Cups - in Brazil in 2027 and co-hosted by the U.S. in 2031
USL clubs are building in markets that pro soccer didn't touch a decade ago
Brands that had soccer on the back burner are now taking it seriously for the first time
That is a hiring environment unlike anything this industry has seen before.
HOW TO POSITION YOURSELF FOR WHAT'S COMING
1. Pay Attention to Where the Investment Is Going
Read the announcements.
Follow the stadium deals.
Track the expansion news.
The organizations investing right now are the ones that will be hiring in the next 12-24 months.
Get familiar with them before the job posting goes up.
2. Build Your Skills for the Industry That's Coming
The soccer industry that exists in five years will look different from the one that exists today.
Organizations will be bigger, more sophisticated, and more competitive.
The skills that will matter most, like data analysis, content creation, commercial thinking, and community building, are the ones worth developing right now, not after you get the job.
3. Start the Conversations Now
The worst time to build relationships is when you need something.
The best time is right now, while the sport is at the top of everyone's mind and the people you want to connect with are engaged, energized, and paying attention.
Use this moment.
Take time every week to do targeted outreach (via LinkedIn, X, and Instagram) to reach folks in the industry who have the job you want to do.
4. Think Long Term
The people who will have the most impactful careers in American soccer over the next two decades are the ones planting seeds right now.
Not waiting for the perfect role or holding out for the biggest name.
It’ll be the people getting in, doing great work, building real relationships, and growing with the industry.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
A lot of people will watch the World Cup end and assume the moment passed them by.
It didn't.
👉 This week, identify two organizations that are growing in the part of the industry you care most about.
Follow their work, reach out to someone there, and start the conversation.
The World Cup lit the fire.
What gets built from here is up to the people willing to do the work.
-Kyle Sheldon, Co-Founder & CEO
ICYMI: MUST-READ ARTICLES
📰 Extra! Extra! Here are a few quick reads to stay up to date with the latest soccer happenings...
The 2026 World Cup won over America and proved the planet wrong [Yahoo!] - Longtime soccer writer Steven Goff opines on the World Cup that was
MLS Commissioner search is down to two finalists [ESPN] - An announcement is expected soon to replace long-time MLS Commissioner Don Garber, who is set to retire in 2027.
42,172 at Citi Field for NWSL match [Gotham FC] - Gotham FC sets women’s sports record in NYC with sell-out.
ALSO…
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SEE YOU SOON, SOCCER FRIENDS
