Carlos Cordeiro is out as U.S. Soccer president. (FrontRowSoccer.com Photo)

CHICAGO – Carlos Cordeiro has announced his resignation as U.S. Soccer President, effective immediately, it was announced late Wednesday night.

Cordeiro resigned in wake of the U.S. Soccer Federation’s recent court filing about the U.S. women’s national team’s lawsuit against the organization and his subsequent apology.

U.S. Soccer put out the press at 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday.

There were no comments by Cordeiro in the release.

Vice president Cindy Parlow Cone will serve as president of U.S. Soccer until the next Annual General Meeting. Parlow Cone, 41, beame the first female President of U.S. Soccer and second former U.S. National Team player to hold the position.

Parlow Cone will serve as president until the 2021 U.S. Soccer Annual General Meeting next February in Atlanta. At that time, there will be an election for U.S. Soccer President for a one-year term to see out Cordeiro’s original tenure. In 2022, the regular election for U.S. Soccer President will be held for the next four-year term.

In papers filed this week, the federation argued that playing for the men’s national team carries more responsibility and requires a higher level of skill than that demanded of women players.

The federation was responding to the gender discrimination lawsuit filed by the USWNT against the federation in March 2019. The suit demands $66 million in back pay under the Equal Pay act and the Civil Rights Act.

“On behalf of U.S. Soccer, I sincerely apologize for the offense and pain caused by language in this week’s court filing, which did not reflect the values of our Federation or our tremendous admiration of our Women’s National Team,” he said in the statement. “Our WNT players are incredibly talented and work tirelessly, as they have demonstrated time and again from their Olympic gold medals to their World Cup titles.

“Even as we continue to defend the Federation in court, we are making immediate changes. I have asked the firm of Latham & Watkins to join and guide our legal strategy going forward. I have made it clear to our legal team that even as we debate facts and figures in the course of this case, we must do so with the utmost respect not only for our Women’s National Team players but for all female athletes around the world. As we do, we will continue to work to resolve this suit in the best interest of everyone involved.

Cordeiro’s apology came after sponsor protests and after the U.S. women wore their jerseys inside-out to protest the remarks in the court filing.

Vice president Cindy Parlow Cone will serve as president of U.S. Soccer until the next Annual General Meeting. Parlow Cone, 41, beame the first female President of U.S. Soccer and second former U.S. National Team player to hold the position.

“I want to thank Carlos for his many years of hard work and dedication on behalf of U.S. Soccer,” said Parlow Cone. “He is a good man with a good heart and his significant work to help bring the 2026 World Cup to the United States will have a positive impact for generations. The passion that has come to the surface in the past two days is what inspires me to look forward, to work hard towards mending relationships and moving the game forward for all.”

Parlow Cone played for the U.S. Women’s National Team from 1996-2004 and was a member of the historic 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup championship team. She also won two Olympic gold medals (1996, 2004) in a career that spanned 158 caps and saw her score 75 international goals, which is eighth all-time in U.S. history. Werner Fricker, who was U.S. Soccer President from 1984-1990, played for the U.S. Men’s National Team between 1963-1967.

Inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2018, Parlow Cone was a four-time All-American at the University of North Carolina and was on teams that won three NCAA titles. She was also the first head coach to win a National Women’s Soccer League championship, guiding Portland Thorns FC to the title in 2013 during the league’s inaugural season. She currently works with the North Carolina FC Youth program as the Girls’ Director of Coaching for the Durham/Chapel Hill teams.

She was elected as Vice President of U.S. Soccer in February of 2019 at the U.S. Soccer Annual General Meeting serving in the position for a year, completing the term that was vacated by Cordeiro when he was elected as president in 2018. Parlow Cone then was re-elected to a full, four-year term at the 2020 AGM this past February.

Cordeiro was elected at the 2018 Annual General Meeting, becoming the 32 nd President of the U.S. Soccer Federation. In his time as President, Cordeiro played a major role in bringing the 2026 FIFA World Cup to the United States. He had served in various roles with U.S. Soccer beginning in 2007, when he was appointed as the Federation’s first Independent Director. Cordeiro served as Vice President in 2016 and 2017 before running for President.

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Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.