U.S. Soccer Hires Innovative Community Builder Lex Chalat to Lead Soccer Forward

CHICAGO (Jan. 16, 2025) – Alexandra (Lex) Chalat, joins the U.S. Soccer Federation as executive director of Soccer Forward Foundation, U.S. Soccer’s 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup legacy initiative. An experienced leader, she has developed purpose-driven partnerships and supported local communities in more than 20 countries.

Soccer Forward is dedicated to improving lives and strengthening communities through the most accessible sport in America. Soccer Forward will support U.S. Soccer’s vision to serve the sport and advance the belief that soccer is more than a game—it’s a force for good.

“U.S. Soccer exists in service to soccer and Soccer Forward is a key component in how we fulfill this promise. We needed a unique and talented leader to guide Soccer Forward in what will be the most exciting era in the history of soccer in the U.S. Lex brings her vast experience and servant leadership to the position and will make a tangible difference in the growth of our sport,” said JT Batson, U.S. Soccer CEO.

Chalat joins U.S. Soccer with more than 15 years of experience in business development and fundraising, cause communications and delivering activations and legacy strategies for major sporting events, federations, leagues and teams.

“I am an avid believer in the power of sport and its ability to change lives for the better and Soccer Forward will allow us to launch key initiatives to do just that,” said Chalat. “This Foundation and its purpose have stemmed directly from engaging with our members across the soccer ecosystem and I’m delighted to continue our work. Together, we’ll see the impact for future generations to come.”

Previously, she was at the Qatar Foundation (QF), where she served as Director of Legacy and Community Engagement. In the lead up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, she was part of a team responsible for coordinating the organization’s more than 50 entities across education, research, and community development to ensure that it holistically maximized the world’s biggest sports tournament and enabled long-lasting impact. With the tournament completed, she transitioned to the office of QF CEO and Vice-Chairperson as Executive Director of Partnerships and Strategic Alignment.

Prior to working in Qatar, Chalat was Managing Director of the Beyond Sport Foundation, which convenes, funds and supports organizations using sport as a tool for social change and co-founded thinkBeyond. Chalat has curated programs and partnerships around sport’s role in hard-hitting issues like the refugee crisis, youth gun crime and racial and ethnic divides.

Chalat is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and London School of Economics. She captained the UPenn Women’s Gymnastics team, which won the ECAC and Ivy League Gymnastics Championships in 2003.

Please find a headshot of Chalat here.

About the U.S. Soccer Federation

Founded in 1913, U.S. Soccer has been the official governing body of the sport in the United States for more than 100 years. As U.S. Soccer looks toward the future amid an unprecedented moment of opportunity, it has aligned its efforts around five strategic pillars: Grow the game by increasing youth and adult participation and accessibility to the sport; Foster best playing environments through quality of referees and coaches, and commitment to participant safety; Develop winning teams through solidified pathways and success of professional leagues; Grow the soccer economy to fuel reinvestment by increasing membership, fandom and commercial success; and Create a world-class organization through revitalized structure and culture, best-in-class talent, progress in DEIB, and more. For more information, visit ussoccer.com/ourvision.