U.S. Soccer announces $30 million donation from Michele Kang towards U.S. women's and girls' soccer
Kang, who is the majority owner of the Washington Spirit and OL Féminin, will donate $30 million to U.S. women's soccer programs over the next five years
Businesswoman Michele Kang has done it again, putting in another major investment toward women's sports. U.S. Soccer announced Tuesday that Kang has made a $30 million donation to the federation in order to support its women's and girls' soccer programs.
Kang will donate the amount over the course of five years. Per a statement from U.S. Soccer, the philanthropic investment will improve the federation's talent scouting program, grow competitive opportunities for youth players and expand professional opportunities for players, coaches and referees.
With the funding, U.S. Soccer — which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit — plans to double the number of national camps, growing the number to six camps per age group within the youth national teams. Per the statement, the donation will allow U.S. Soccer to bring 100,000 players into the youth national team pipeline, 12 times as many as it can currently accommodate.
The investment will also provide opportunities to bring 70,000 female coaches and referees into women's soccer, doubling the current number of women in those roles. U.S. Soccer said that the money will specifically go towards professional development, with education and mentorship programs.
Kang, the CEO and founder of a medical technology company who has since turned to investment, is the majority owner of three women's soccer teams. She became the majority owner of the NWSL's Washington Spirit in 2022, and became the owner of French league powerhouse Olympique Lyonnais Féminin this year, with the final process finishing up in February. She also owns the second-tier English soccer team London City Lionesses.
This summer, Kang launched Kynisca, a global organization uniquely committed to women's sports; since then, she has been particularly busy. In addition to the massive gift to U.S. Soccer, Kang also donated $4 million to the USA Rugby women's sevens team, soon after the team's success at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The investment will be given over the course of four years, with the intention of growing the women's game in the United States.
