Canada Soccer announces Earl Cochrane as General Secretary

The Canadian Soccer Association is pleased to appoint Earl Cochrane as its new General Secretary effective immediately. The announcement is the culmination of an extensive global recruitment process aimed at identifying a candidate with the knowledge, experience, and passion to lead Canada Soccer.

The search began in January 2022 led by Lighthouse Search, Canada’s leading Executive Search firm specialising in Sport, Media and Entertainment. Over the course of five months North American and International candidates were assessed against a comprehensive position profile following which the Board of Directors at Canada Soccer approved Mr. Cochrane’s appointment unanimously.

With over thirty years of experience within the sport on and off the pitch, Mr. Cochrane brings the experience to build on the momentum and match the excitement and continued rise in popularity of soccer in Canada. Mr. Cochrane has also been serving as the Acting General Secretary for Canada Soccer since January 2022.

“I am delighted to welcome Earl Cochrane as our new General Secretary,” said Dr. Nick Bontis, President of Canada Soccer. “His experience on and off the pitch across all levels of the game will be a huge asset for Canada Soccer. From our Women’s National Team winning the Gold Medal at the Tokyo 2022 Olympic Games and qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™, to our Men’s National Team qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, and the immense excitement soccer is receiving, the coming months and years will be pivotal for the growth of the game across Canada. I look forward to working with Earl to capitalise on this remarkable moment in Canadian soccer history.”

Mr. Cochrane brings a wealth of knowledge about the global game of soccer as well as its development in Canada and has held key roles that have been integral to its growth and success. With over 20 years of domestic and international experience working with leading sport organisations such as MLSE, FIFA, Concacaf, and of course, Canada Soccer, as well as MLS clubs Toronto FC and D.C. United, Mr. Cochrane is well prepared to lead the organisation into the future. His knowledge of the business of soccer will be important to support our vision of leading Canada to victory and Canadians to a life-long passion for soccer.

For a backgrounder containing Earl Cochrane’s detailed biography, please click here.

As General Secretary, Mr. Cochrane will be the operational leader of Canada Soccer and will work closely with the President, Vice President, and the Board of Directors, and in consultation with its members and key stakeholders to ensure Canada Soccer is a strong, integrated organisation driven by a focused and shared vision. In his role as the leader of Canada Soccer’s staff across the country, he will also be integral in the organisation’s support of Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team’s preparations for its first FIFA World Cup berth in 36 years at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ , the Women’s National Team’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023™ and Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the 2022 Concacaf W Championship, as well as ensuring the organisation is well positioned as it prepares to co-host the FIFA World Cup 2026 in partnership with Mexico and USA.

Earl Cochrane

Mr. Cochrane brings a wealth of knowledge about the global game of soccer as well as its development in Canada to the role Canada Soccer General Secretary having held key senior leadership roles across all levels of the game that have contributed to its growth and success. With over 30 years of domestic and international experience working with leading sport organisations such as Maple Leaf Sport and Entertainment (MLSE), FIFA, Concacaf, and of course, Canada Soccer, as well as Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs Toronto FC and D.C. United, Mr. Cochrane is well prepared to lead the organisation into the future. His knowledge of the business of soccer will be important as the organisation works towards growing the game across the country.

During his time at MLSE, Mr. Cochrane directed team and player operations for Toronto FC and left an indelible mark on the club that still exists through its people and programs. He was the second employee hired at the franchise in 2006 and was a vital contributor to the successful launch of Canada’s first MLS club in 2007. While at Toronto FC, he led the creation of the TFC Academy, which has helped develop more than 50 professional soccer players. Mr. Cochrane also steered the development of Toronto FC’s multi-million-dollar KIA Training Ground at Downsview Park (now the BMO Training Ground), one of North America’s premier soccer training facilities. Further, he was instrumental in the creation of the Canadian Championship as well as the inclusion of Canada MLS clubs in the Concacaf Champions League.

Mr. Cochrane began in MLS in 1999 at D.C. United, where he led the communications department and quickly became an accomplished senior leader of the most successful club of the mid to late 90s. During his tenure, the club won the MLS Cup in 1999 and participated in two CONCACAF Champions’ Cup competitions (precursor to the Concacaf Champions League) in 1999 and 2000.

Most recently, Mr. Cochrane served as the Acting General Secretary for Canada Soccer since January 2022. He first joined the organisation in 2001 when he returned to Canada from his tenure at D.C. United and rejoined in 2013 after his time with Toronto FC. He led the revamping of Canada Soccer’s National Team Programs as Director of National Teams when he first joined in 2001 through a revitalisation of its national youth programs. This timeframe included Canada’s qualification for three successive men’s FIFA U-20 World Cups (Argentina in 2001, United Arab Emirates in 2003, and Netherlands in 2005) and hosting opportunities for the men’s FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 and the first-ever FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship 2002. That inaugural edition led to the launch of FIFA Women’s World Cups at both the U-20 and U-17 age categories.

In 2005, Mr. Cochrane took over the Communications portfolio at Canada Soccer and supported the securing of funding and approvals at all levels of government for the construction and completion of the National Soccer Stadium (BMO Field) in Toronto. The stadium was a requirement for hosting the men’s FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 and ultimately a precursor for the return of professional soccer to Canada’s most populous city under the Toronto FC banner.

Mr. Cochrane rejoined Canada Soccer as the Acting Deputy General Secretary in 2013, where he managed the Association’s domestic and international affairs during the secondment of senior leaders to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015. He has managed the implementation of Canada Soccer’s last three Strategic Plans and has worked closely with Canada Soccer’s membership and stakeholders – including Canada Soccer’s Board of Directors, Provincial and Territorial Member Associations, Professional Clubs and Leagues in Membership, Sport Canada, and Concacaf and FIFA to meet Canada Soccer’s three key strategic pillars of GOVERN, GROW and DEVELOP. Two notable projects of significant importance to the strategic direction of Canada Soccer are the National Soccer Registry (NSR) which is a national registry of all stakeholders in the domestic game that is linked globally to FIFA Connect, as well as the collaboration with MLS and US Soccer to establish the Canada Homegrown Player initiative which has allowed for a significant number of additional professional opportunities for Canadians in MLS and in turn impacted the expansion of  Canada Soccer’s  Men’s National Team player pool.

Additionally, Mr. Cochrane’s international experience is demonstrated by several appointments with both FIFA and Concacaf to further develop the game domestically and regionally including his continued engagement with the FIFA Diploma in Football Law – CIES/ FIFA which he will receive in March 2023. He was also a senior member of Canada Soccer’s successful bid to co-host the FIFA World Cup 2026 along with Mexico and the United States.

Lastly, Mr. Cochrane’s lifelong passion and commitment to the game was evident long before he became a soccer executive off the pitch. A dedicated player and passionate fan of the game, he begins this new role with the same enthusiasm that he exuded on the pitch as a central defender at Carleton University where he captained the Ravens varsity soccer team in his final two seasons before moving to Asia to play professionally.  Mr. Cochrane was inducted into Carleton University Athletics’ Hall of Fame in 2018.

Key highlights

Senior Executive experience:

• Helped to formulate, launch, and implement Canada Soccer’s last three Strategic Plans.
• Directed a multi-million-dollar team and player operations budget for Toronto FC.
• Led and managed the development of Toronto FC’s multi-million-dollar Training Ground – one of North America’s premier football training facilities.
• Managed 12 National Teams and staff.

International experience:

• Extensive Global relationships and contacts in sports and entertainment that have been built and fostered over the last three decades.
• Represented Canada Soccer and MLSE globally, as well as led delegations at FIFA World Cups and multi-sport events.
• Senior member of the successful bid for Canada to co-host the FIFA World Cup 2026 along with Mexico and the United States.
• FIFA and Concacaf Match Commissioner.
• Interpol trained integrity officer.
• Diploma, Football Law – CIES / FIFA, Zurich, Switzerland (March 2023 completion).

Lifelong passion and commitment to the game:

• For over 30 years, Mr. Cochrane has demonstrated a strong dedication to the game on and off the pitch as a player, staff and senior executive, Board member, and as a fan.
• Featured as a leading industry voice for the sport and featured at several international conferences, as well as a media spokesperson.