Former USWNT coach and San Diego Wave president takes chief football officer role at FIFA

December 4 – More than a few eyebrows will have been raised across the global game after FIFA announced it has brought in two-time US women’s World Cup-winning coach Jill Ellis to the new position of chief football officer.

Ellis will continue to work alongside Arsène Wenger, FIFA chief of global football development, in a partnership that began in 2021 when she led FIFA’s technical advisory group for the women’s game.

Ellis, who led the United States to back-to-back world titles in 2015 and 2019 and is to leave her role of president of the San Diego Wave in the National Women’s Soccer League, was a huge advocate – as was Wenger – of Gianni Infantino’s doomed campaign to double the number of World Cups by playing them every two years instead of four.

The concept quickly died a death after it was fiercely resisted by Europe and South America but Infantino has now rewarded another loyal ally with a senior administrative role in the bosom of the organisation.

“I am honoured to join FIFA in this pioneering role and to contribute to the growth of football from a global perspective,” Ellis said. “FIFA has a unique ability, through football, to unite communities and to drive the game’s development worldwide.

“Having experienced football, from grassroots programmes up to senior national-team level, I’ve seen first-hand its transformative power.”

In its own statement, FIFA added: “The creation of the chief football officer position underscores FIFA’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive and accessible global football community, ensuring that football remains a sport for all.”

Diverse and inclusive is an interesting choice of words given recent accusations against Ellis for allegedly creating a hostile working environment.

Back in August she responded to such allegations with a defamation lawsuit filed against the former employee who claimed she was an abusive boss.

It was the last thing the US game needed having only just started to emerge from a series of sexual harassment and gender inequality scandals that have forced a rethink of how the game is coached and managed, and by whom.

In her suit, Ellis said the club’s former videographer Brittany Alvarado used a fake email account to bolster her claims about Ellis.

But three other San Diego Wave employees also came forward complaining about workplace culture.

For her part, on July 3 Alvarado posted: “On behalf of myself and my former colleagues, the treatment we endured under club President Jill Ellis has been nothing short of life-altering and devastating to our mental health.”

Yet with Ellis’ lawsuit still ongoing, she has now been tasked with driving the development and implementation of FIFA’s global football strategy.

Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1733666873labto1733666873ofdlr1733666873owedi1733666873sni@w1733666873ahsra1733666873w.wer1733666873dna1733666873