Cindy Parlow Cone was re-elected president of U.S. Soccer on Saturday in a tightly contested race against former president Carlos Cordeiro, who was aiming for a return to the seat. Parlow Cone will serve a full, four-year term, dating to early 2026.
Parlow Cone won by a simple majority in the two-candidate race, earning 785.12 weighted votes to Cordeiro’s 698.26 weighted votes — just over 52% for Parlow Cone, a narrow victory in what was expected to be a close race.
“To all of you who supported me, and all of you who supported my opponent, I say the same thing: The moment of division is now in the past,” she said in her acceptance speech. “We are one federation. We are one team. I promise to be the leader for all of U.S. Soccer. I have never been more excited and more hopeful about the future of our beautiful game. Our national teams are young, exciting, and full of promise. Our professional leagues are at the vanguard of driving our sport forward. The grassroots soccer is vibrant, healthy, and changing lives every day. And we are soon to host at least one World Cup and show the world what we have to offer.
“Now is the time for all of us to work together. No more divisions. We don’t have time for all of that. Our moment is now, and I promise you that each and every one of you have a friend and a partner in me as president of U.S. Soccer.”
Parlow Cone took over presidency in March 2020, when Cordeiro resigned following the public exposure of U.S. Soccer’s sexist arguments in the equal pay lawsuit. Parlow Cone was vice president at the time and assumed presidency. She ran unopposed in 2021 to complete the one remaining year of the four-year term which Cordeiro originally earned in 2018. Cordeiro was vice president to Sunil Gulati prior to his election in 2018.
U.S. women’s players publicly endorsed Parlow Cone on Friday. Last month, the federation announced a $24 million settlement to the six-year-long equal pay lawsuit, a boon for Cone ahead of the election.
A spokesperson for the U.S. women’s national team players on Saturday commended the election results.
The settlement between the federation and the U.S. women’s players is contingent upon the ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement between the two parties. The possible return of Cordeiro threatened to disrupt those ongoing discussions, according to those familiar with the process. Parlow Cone, a former U.S. women’s player who won World Cup and Olympic titles, has been spearheading the efforts to resolve the CBA along with the equal-pay lawsuit.
The role of U.S. Soccer president remains unpaid. A proposal which went to vote moments after Parlow Cone’s re-election failed to reach the two-thirds in favor needed in order to pass. The proposal was to make the president a salaried employee with an annual pay of $125,000.