USWNT icon Jill Ellis takes full-time leadership job at FIFA

ZURICH (AP) — Two-time Women's World Cup-winning coach Jill Ellis took a full-time job with FIFA as its chief football officer on Tuesday.

Ellis will continue to work alongside Arsene Wenger, FIFA chief of global football development, in a partnership they started in 2021 when she led the governing body's technical advisory group for women’s soccer.

Ellis led the United States to back-to-back world titles in 2015 and 2019. She and former Arsenal coach Wenger promoted FIFA president Gianni Infantino's campaign to double the number of World Cups by playing them every two years instead of four. That project was resisted by European and South American soccer officials and soon dropped.

"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," the governing body said.

Ellis has been president of the San Diego Wave in the National Women's Soccer League and her departure was announced on Tuesday.

"Under Jill's leadership, the Wave set a standard of excellence as an expansion club in the NWSL," club owner Lauren Leichtman said in a statement.

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