Today, Angel City Football Club (ACFC) announced that Mark Parsons is the club’s new Sporting Director ahead of the 2025 NWSL season. Parsons will oversee all soccer operations, including the technical staff, the scouting and analytics department, sports medical, performance, nutrition, and player care. He will report directly to ACFC Co-Founder and President Julie Uhrman.
Parsons brings a wealth of women’s football experience to ACFC. He started his NWSL career with the Washington Spirit (2013-2015) as head coach and general manager. Then, across six seasons at the Portland Thorns, Parsons won six trophies, including two NWSL Shields (2021, 2016) and the 2017 NWSL Championship. Parsons is the only head coach in NWSL history to win an NWSL Shield, NWSL Championship, and NWSL Challenge Cup. He guided Thorns FC to the playoffs every season of his tenure, helping the team finish in the top three all six seasons, posting a record of 62-26-28 (.655) during his time at the helm.
In Portland, Parsons was critical in building and developing the club’s roster, acquiring several top USWNT and international players, including Sophia Smith, Sam Coffey, Lindsey Horan, Emily Sonnett, Ellie Carpenter, Amandine Henry, and Becky Sauerbrunn, as well as up-and-coming players such as Olivia Moultrie, Yazmeen Ryan, and Morgan Weaver.
After leaving Portland, he served as head coach for the Netherlands Women's National Team (2021-2022). During his tenure, he guided the Dutch to the quarterfinals of the 2022 UEFA European Women’s Championships.
“Mark brings exceptional experience in the domestic and global game,” said Julie Uhrman, co-founder and president of ACFC. “As we enter 2025 with the opening of our state-of-the-art 50,000-square-foot performance center, Mark will lead our sporting operations, driving our culture and championship ambitions alongside our outstanding leadership team and staff. Together, we aim to set a high standard for excellence—on and off the pitch—and we’re ready to bring home the championship in this exciting new chapter.”
“It is an honor to become part of Angel City Football Club, a trailblazing and ambitious organization setting new standards in the game,” Parsons shares. “I am grateful to Willow, Bob, and Julie for their trust and look forward to working closely with ownership and the exceptional leadership team to build on the solid foundation they’ve established. My focus is to foster a culture of excellence, development, and togetherness that elevates ACFC to new heights, with the goal of bringing championships home to the city of Los Angeles.”
Parsons was born and raised in Surrey, England. He began his coaching career at a young age, initially with Chelsea FC, where he held several coaching roles, including coaching the Chelsea women's reserves and director of Chelsea women’s academy before moving to the US in 2010.