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Jeff Carlisle
Major League Soccer (MLS) has significantly revised its hiring protocol for front office and coaching roles by discarding its minority interview requirements as well as many enforcement mechanisms tied to those mandates, according to multiple sources who spoke with ESPN.
The former “MLS diversity hiring policy” is now referred to as the “MLS advance policy.”
This updated framework is more decentralized, granting teams the freedom to establish their own hiring practices with less supervision from the league.
MLS initially adopted a version of the Rooney Rule in 2007, inspired by the NFL’s minority hiring initiative. The policy received notable updates in 2021.
The primary goal was to increase opportunities for minority candidates to interview for key technical positions, such as general managers, assistant general managers, head coaches, and assistant coaches, with the hope that more exposure would lead to increased hiring of minorities.
The 2021 updates aimed to enhance policy effectiveness by prioritizing interviews for Black candidates and strengthening enforcement measures. It specifically required that at least two non-white candidates, including at least one Black/African American candidate, be included in the finalist pool for any open technical position. Teams that failed to comply could face fines.
However, these stipulations have now been rescinded. The new policy allows teams to establish their own criteria for hiring technical and front office staff.
Clubs are now required to create a committee to oversee the interview process and appoint a senior leader responsible for implementing the club’s hiring policy. Teams have also signed an affidavit, akin to their adherence to league roster regulations, that they will take these steps. MLS asserts that this approach aims to support minority candidates from the beginning of the interview process rather than as a post-hoc measure.
The new policy appears to reduce transparency regarding hiring processes within clubs. Not only do the teams’ guidelines bypass league approval, but they are also no longer required to disclose who the finalist candidates were for any positions.
MLS Executive Vice President for Engagement, Sola Winley, noted that the competitive nature of clubs would incentivize them to seek the best candidates, including minorities, during the hiring process.
“If clubs restrict their candidate pool, they’ll likely find it limits their chances of being competitive,” Winley stated.
“While some clubs might pursue a narrow candidate scope, teams are competing for the best players and talent, which requires a broad search strategy for technical personnel.”
Regarding enforcement, Winley mentioned that MLS Commissioner Don Garber has the authority to impose sanctions on teams that fail to comply with the new policy; however, the circumstances for intervention seem limited, given the reduced mandates of the revised policy.
“The league’s role is not to act as compliance enforcers but to support clubs in competing at the highest level and to ensure ongoing growth. This growth does not stem from mere compliance,” Winley told ESPN.
“We are confident in our compliance measures, as clubs must formally agree to them and appoint an executive leader to oversee the initiative. We approach this with cooperation and trust,” Winley said.
However, this trust has not always been reciprocated, as evidenced by the LA Galaxy and Inter Miami CF, both of which have faced penalties for breaching league roster regulations. In 2022, D.C. United was fined for failing to comply with the league’s hiring policy.
The advocacy group Black Players For Change issued a statement on the policy revisions:
“We remain committed to driving progress and promoting equity at the highest levels within the sport. Our mission continues with renewed determination, ensuring that the next generation of Black coaches and executives is not only recognized but celebrated throughout MLS and the broader American soccer landscape.”
The revised policy now encompasses hiring beyond the soccer domain, extending to business positions within clubs.
Evan Whitfield, a former U.S. Olympian, soccer player, and ex-VP of equity, alumni relations, and diversity at Chicago Fire FC, criticized the changes:
“Four years later, it seems that Commissioner Garber and the league’s commitment to inclusivity has diminished,” said the Black former player.
Whitfield is also involved with the Human Rights Soccer Alliance, which advocates for equity and inclusion ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
“The underrepresentation of Black and Latino coaches at senior levels is glaring,” he stated. “It’s disheartening that MLS has abandoned its Diversity Hiring Policy and undermined related initiatives, including MLS Advance. The disparity in representation speaks volumes, as does the composition of candidates really considered for open roles. While Sola Winley may highlight opportunities for minority coaches in lower divisions, he might not address why coaches of color often need to start in these positions while white male coaches receive direct opportunities for first-team roles, despite mediocre performance.”
On Friday, MLS announced that it would implement further programming in 2026 to assist players in transitioning into leadership roles post-retirement.
Sources informed ESPN that the changes were largely driven by an MLS advance committee made up of owners and a working group composed of league executives, staff, and human resources leaders from clubs. The new policy received board approval in May after being presented in April, bypassing traditional formal meeting protocols.
On Friday, MLS confirmed that the changes were influenced by the working group.
The Trump administration pressured many organizations to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
The conservative legal group America First Legal, co-founded by Stephen Miller and currently aligned with Trump’s administration, has filed numerous lawsuits against companies and organizations labeled “woke,” as reported by the New York Times.
One notable lawsuit pertains to the NFL’s DEI policies, while eight NFL team owners also have stakes in MLS.
When questioned about whether the current political environment influenced the decision to amend the hiring policy, Winley denied any connection, asserting that the policy has received annual evaluations since its 2021 revision, with the latest review process commencing in Spring 2024, which predates Trump’s second presidential term. An MLS spokesperson confirmed that the league had not been approached by America First Legal.
Given the recent approval of the new policy just six months ago, its ramifications are yet to be fully realized.
Currently, MLS has three Black managers, the same number as when the policy was revised in 2021, all of whom were born outside the U.S., alongside four Latino/Hispanic managers.
The representation rates are 10% and 13.3% for Black and Latino/Hispanic managers, respectively, with four managerial positions currently unfilled.
If the scope is broadened to include GMs and assistant coaches, the percentage of Black coaches and executives drops to 7.8%, while Latino/Hispanic coaches and executives stand at 16.7%.
In 2021, MLS claimed equitable representation of Hispanic/Latino coaches corresponding to its player demographic (30%), while the Black player pool was 25%—yet only 7% of assistant coaches and 10% of head coaches were Black.
“I remain optimistic about our current standing,” Winley concluded. “We’re making progress, and we will continue to do so, but there’s undoubtedly more work ahead.”