U.S. Soccer VP Carlos Cordeiro has "entered the campaign" for U.S. Soccer President, according to Sam Borden of ESPNFC.com. Many had assumed Cordeiro -- a "longtime friend and colleague" of current U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati -- would simply "support Gulati's bid to win one final term." Cordeiro, a former partner at Goldman Sachs, has been "increasingly involved in the soccer world over the past 10 years." Cordeiro yesterday in a letter to potential voters for February's election "laid out a platform that calls for significant structural change within the federation and a bold financial growth strategy which includes bidding" to host the men's and women's FIFA World Cups in '26 and '27. Cordeiro said, "U.S. Soccer has achieved a lot over the last 25 or 30 years, but I think we've hit a plateau." Cordeiro's relationship with Gulati has "long been a close one, and the two frequently traveled to FIFA meetings or international games together." Cordeiro did "not want to be specific about Gulati's reaction when he learned of his friend's intentions." But he said that the two "met this week" in N.Y. to discuss it. Cordeiro said, "This is not about Sunil. I've decided to take the plunge here because I think it's about the federation and how I fit into that." Cordeiro "enters a field of crowded candidates" that includes Boston attorney Steven Gans, FS1 soccer analyst and former USMNT player Eric Wynalda, Massachusetts-based soccer coach Paul Lapointe and potentially former USMNT player Landon Donovan (ESPNFC.com, 11/1). Meanwhile, SI.com's Grant Wahl noted Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis "confirmed that he loves his Arsenal job and won’t be running" for U.S. Soccer President. NCAA Exec VP/Regulatory Affairs & Strategic Partnerships Oliver Luck also said that he is "happy in his current job and won’t be running" (SI.com, 10/31).
