Angel City Football Club announced that Mark Parsons has been hired as the club’s new Sporting Director.
Parsons will oversee all soccer operations, including the technical staff, the scouting and analytics department, sports medical, performance, nutrition, and player care. He will report directly to ACFC Co-Founder and President Julie Uhrman.
Parsons’ last job in the NWSL was as coach of the Washington Spirit (2023). Prior to that he had a successful time at the Portland Thorns (2016-21), where he won the NWSL Championship (2017), NWSL Shield (2016, 2021) and NWSL Challenge Cup (2021). He’s the only coach in league history to win the Shield, Championship and Challenge Cup. He also led the Thorns to the playoffs every season.
“It is an honor to become part of Angel City Football Club, a trailblazing and ambitious organization setting new standards in the game,” Parsons said in a statement. “I am grateful to (owners) Willow (Bay), Bob (Iger) and (co-founder), and Julie (Uhrman) for their trust and look forward to working closely with ownership and the exceptional leadership team to build on the solid foundation they’ve established. My focus is to foster a culture of excellence, development, and togetherness that elevates ACFC to new heights, with the goal of bringing championships home to the city of Los Angeles.”
Parsons spent 2021-22 as coach of the Netherlands women’s national team.
“Mark brings exceptional experience in the domestic and global game,” Uhrman said. “As we enter 2025 with the opening of our state-of-the-art 50,000-square-foot performance center, Mark will lead our sporting operations, driving our culture and championship ambitions alongside our outstanding leadership team and staff.”
Parsons’ first task is finding a coach. Angel City finished in 12th place last season, missing the playoffs for the second time in its first three seasons. After the season, the club parted ways with general manager Angela Hucles Mangano (now with Houston) and coach Becki Tweed (after one full season).