IN THIS ISSUE

INTRODUCTION

Hello, Pathwayers -

Well, after almost six glorious weeks, the World Cup comes to a close this Sunday.

As I write this, Spain has toppled France to advance to just their second World Cup final (truly hard to believe) and Argentina and England are set to square off in about 24 hours.

Regardless of who wins Wednesday’s semifinal, Sunday will be one for the ages. It will either be Messi going for immortality with back-to-back titles or England trying to make good on “it’s coming home” for the first time since 1966.

It’s been a heck of tournament - with way more ups than downs and so many wonderful moments - and I will miss it dearly.

While it’s clear the U.S. team didn’t achieve what it could have, there’s no doubt this summer’s tournament has meaningfully accelerated the growth and popularity of the sport in our country.

Now, the question is - what comes next? We’ll be writing about some of those things in the coming weeks. Stick with us.

Enjoy Sunday’s final.

We’re only 1,423 days until the 2030 World Cup kicks off.

-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.

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!

One of the questions I get asked most often is:

“Where should I be looking if I want to build a career in soccer?”

Most people immediately think about today’s job openings. That’s important, but I’d encourage you to think one step further ahead.

Instead of asking, “Where are the jobs today?”

Ask yourself:

“Where is the industry growing?”

Because growth creates opportunity.

If you can position yourself in the right part of the industry before others catch on, you’ll put yourself in a much stronger position over the next few years.

Here are a few of the areas I’d be paying close attention to.

If you’ve been following the sport, this is probably the one that one surprise you.

With recent NWSL expansion clubs in Denver and Boston (with more to come in Atlanta and Columbus) and increasing investment from brands and media partners, women’s soccer is on one of the steepest growth trajectories in all of professional sports.

That growth doesn’t just create opportunities on the field.

It creates demand for people in:

If this side of the game interests you, now is a great time to get involved. Start following the NWSL more closely, read up on USL’s Super League, and be sure you’re following and listening to the media outlet’s that are covering the women’s game closely:

And be sure to tap into Women in Soccer who are doing great work to help get folks connected to the women’s game by providing networking opportunities, job postings, and lots of other resources.

Sometimes people become so focused on MLS that they overlook one of the best places to build a career.

USL clubs often provide something that’s difficult to find elsewhere:

Responsibility early.

In many organizations, you’ll wear multiple hats, gain exposure across departments, and build experience much faster than you might in a larger organization.

And there are a handful of USL clubs that are doing big, big things. Catch up on the clubs who are building new stadiums - all will be in hiring mode in the coming months:

Those experiences become incredibly valuable later in your career.

Not every soccer career starts, or stays, with a club.

Agencies supporting clubs, leagues, brands, and governing bodies continue to grow.

These organizations work across:

You may end up working with dozens of clubs instead of just one.

It’s a fantastic way to broaden your experience and grow your network.

Take a look at the following as a starting point:

As soccer’s popularity continues to rise in the U.S., more companies want to be part of the sport.

That means opportunities don’t just exist inside soccer organizations.

They’re also growing inside brands that sponsor:

Companies need people who understand both marketing and soccer culture.

That combination is becoming increasingly valuable.

Keep an eye on the brands you see investing more in soccer - look for the new brands who are announcing new sponsorships and partnerships, especially at the start of each league’s new season.

Another sorta-kinda obvious one, but today’s soccer organizations rely on technology, data, and analyticcs more than ever before.

Everything from:

…continues to evolve.

You don’t have to be a software engineer to work at the intersection of soccer and technology. Understanding both worlds is becoming a competitive advantage.

This one is harder to pin down but if you’re a bit of a data head, I think there will be more roles in these areas in the years ahead.

Keep an eye on new jobs being posted in soccer and take note of when they’re incorporating these areas into job descriptions. And then, study up.

If you’re trying to break into soccer, don’t just chase the next job posting.

Study where the industry is headed.

Build skills that align with growing sectors.

Seek out people working in those spaces.

Become fluent in the trends shaping the future of the game.

Because the best career opportunities usually aren’t found by looking backward.

They’re found by positioning yourself for where the industry is going next.

The next decade will be one of the most exciting periods soccer has ever experienced in the United States.

The question isn’t whether opportunities will exist.

It’s whether you’ll be ready when they arrive.

-Kyle Sheldon, Co-Founder & CEO

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SEE YOU SOON, SOCCER FRIENDS