USSF Letter

Kingston Stockade FC and The Miami FC have been working on behalf of all American soccer clubs by working to get the United States Soccer Federation to honor FIFA’s rules regarding sporting merit. There is an opportunity for American soccer clubs and leagues across the country to make a difference and join the cause by signing on to the letter below. It will be presented to the United States Soccer Federation as well as to CONCACAF and FIFA.

Working together in a common cause can help shift the perception that only a handful of clubs want FIFA compliance in all areas, including Promotion and Relegation. When you complete the form below, you will receive a copy of the letter for your records and a copy will be sent to representatives of Kingston Stockade FC and The Miami FC.

Letter to the USSF President

  • December 8, 2018
  • We, the undersigned, write to you as the President of the US Soccer Federation to request a dialogue with you about the critical importance of the US Soccer Federation complying with FIFA’s Article 9 on Promotion and Relegation. We do so in the context of and support for the filing made by Kingston Stockade FC and The Miami FC in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2017.
  • As President of US Soccer, you deserve huge credit for succeeding in bringing the World Cup to the United States in 2026. As you have said, we have first class stadiums and infrastructure and you’ve described our 2nd Division as “arguably the best in the world”. But as President of US Soccer, you know that despite major sporting progress since 1994, the failure rate of clubs and leagues across the US soccer landscape vastly exceeds any other country in the world. Dozens of team owners from multiple leagues have seen their investments go to waste and hundreds if not thousands of players have seen their potential unrealized. In global soccer terms this situation is unique and, the evidence suggests, is a function of the exceptional nature of our closed model. The experience of over 200 FIFA member associations shows that sporting merit, exercised through an open system, is not a barrier to investment into the game - instead, it is the key to unlock investment in the game and provide equal opportunities for all. Given your stated ambition to grow the game in an inclusive way, we humbly request a dialogue with you about the benefits of an open system for US soccer and how we can work with you to comply with FIFA’s rules and, more importantly, unlock the potential of the beautiful game in the United States.
  • We understand Kingston Stockade FC and The Miami FC have been outspoken about their efforts to bring the issue of Article 9 and Promotion and Relegation to the attention of the US Soccer Federation and FIFA. Let it be known that they are not the only clubs that want to see this happen – an open system is something clubs, players and fans across the United States want to see in US soccer.
  • Thank you for your time.

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THE PATH FORWARD

The Path Forward is a presentation looking at how to move soccer in America from where we are today to where we need to go.