The U.S. Women’s national soccer team has officially signed a new head coach, Emma Hayes. The U.S. soccer director Matt Crocker completed his extensive search and decided on Hayes. Before USWNT, Hayes spent 11 years working with the Chelsea women’s national team. The coach grew up in London before moving to America, and started coaching division one soccer at Iona University in 2001. She then became the assistant coach for Arsenal FC after moving back to the UK. In 2008 she moved back to the U.S. and started coaching the Chicago Red Stars, before moving back to London to coach Chelsea.  During her years there coaching at Chelsea, the 47 year old has led them to six women super league titles, five women’s FA cups and two FA women’s league cups. She was named FIFA Best Women’s coach of the year in 2021, and the FA WSL Manager of the season six times. Cocker is highly confident in her ability to lead the team to success in the future. According to U.S. Soccer, he stated that, “Her passion for the game, her coaching acumen, her ability to galvanize players and staff, her dedication to continue to evolve as a coach and her qualities as a person are all incredibly impressive,” Crocker said. “She has a great appreciation for the legacy of this program and embraces the big challenges ahead.” 

Hayes is also excited to start her journey with the team; “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 women’s coach in the world as of 2023, moving past the current highest paid coach Sarina Weigman of the England women’s national team. Her base salary is around $500,000, while Hayes’ base salary will be around $1.6 million.