CHICAGO, IL–The US Soccer Federation officially announced on Tuesday that Chelsea Women’s coach Emma Hayes has been appointed head coach of the US Women’s National Team. Hayes will finish the 2023-24 Women’s Super League season with Chelsea before joining the U.S. team officially two months prior to the start of the 2024 Olympics. Interim head coach Twila Kilgore will continue in her role and then join Hayes’ staff full-time as an assistant coach. US Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker, Kilgore, and her staff are engaged in developing a plan to work with Hayes to ensure a successful transition.
“This is a huge honor to be given the opportunity to coach the most incredible team in world football history,” said Hayes. “The feelings and connection I have for this team and for this country run deep. I’ve dreamed about coaching the USA for a long time so to get this opportunity is a dream come true. I know there is work to do to achieve our goals of winning consistently at the highest levels. To get there, it will require dedication, devotion and collaboration from the players, staff and everyone at the U.S. Soccer Federation.”
Hayes will become the highest-paid female manager in the world and expected to be paid an equal wage to men’s head coach Gregg Berhalter.
Hayes began her managerial career with the Long Island Lady Riders of the former USL W-League in 2002. Her first top flight head coaching gig was with the Chicago Red Stars back in the old WPS league from 2009 to 2010. She has been with Chelsea Women since 2012 where she’s led the Lady Blues to six FA Women’s Super League titles (including the last four) and five FA Women’s Cups.
She takes over a USWNT program that had its worst outing in a Women’s World Cup by crashing out of the Round of 16 and lead it in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. The US Women last won gold in London in 2012 and won bronze at the last Olympics in 2021 in Tokyo.
“I understand how important this team is to the people and culture of the United States, not just the soccer community,” said Hayes. “I fully understand the place this team has in U.S. society. I’ve lived it. I remember being a young coach working my way up through the system in the U.S. and watching all those young girls aspire to play on the U.S. Women’s National Team. For me, the honor in building on that legacy is part of my motivation, no question.”
IN OTHER NEWS: The women who helped negotiated the equal pay deal between the USWNT and US Soccer as well as overseeing the independent investigation into abuse and sexual misconduct in women’s soccer has been appointed President of the Chicago Red Stars. Karen Leetzow was US Soccer’s chief legal officer as well as a former general counsel with NASCAR. She is the first major appointee by the Ricketts Group who took over the Red Stars last September.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to join Laura Ricketts and her group of accomplished women business and civic leaders in changing the culture at the Chicago Red Stars and to build a championship organization on and off the pitch,” said Leetzow. “I look forward to working with every team member in the business and technical staff of the Red Stars to achieve Laura’s goal of creating a championship culture of excellence and accountability.”
