Michael Lazar is Sr. Vice President, Strategy, for the U.S. Soccer Federation.

Michael joined U.S. Soccer in May 2023, first as a consultant on the 2026 FIFA World Cup Legacy program and then as Managing Director of External Relations, before moving to the strategy team in March 2024. A former partner at McKinsey, Michael brings more than a decade of strategy and operations consulting expertise to the role.

Michael attended Stanford University, where he earned a B.A. in Public Policy. After graduating, Michael spent four years in Washington, D.C., working at the intersection of policy and business as a consultant. He then attended Yale School of Management, where he earned an MBA, before spending nine and a half years at McKinsey, splitting time between the Tech, Media and Telecommunications, and Public and Social Sector practices. At McKinsey, Michael launched the NY Jobs CEO Council, aiming to hire 100,000 New Yorkers into family sustaining wage jobs. Michael has published several articles and studies and has been a frequent guest speaker on topics including youth participation in sport, trends in the tech industry, and economic and workforce development.

Michael is focused on enterprise-wide corporate strategy, including increased engagement with the board of directors, committees, and councils of U.S. Soccer. Since joining U.S. Soccer, Michael has worked closely with membership and on several strategic projects including the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a review of the broad soccer ecosystem, and launching Soccer Forward, U.S. Soccer’s 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup legacy initiative.

Born in Chicago, Michael currently lives in Brooklyn with his wife Emmy and two sons, Milo and Wes. Michael is a former soccer player (youth and adult amateur) as well as a passionate soccer fan and has attended dozens of U.S. National Team matches over the years.