Former USWNT, KC Current coach Vlatko Andonovski joins Chicago Stars as chief soccer officer amid 'structural rebuild'

The Chicago Stars are snapping up one of the NWSL’s biggest front office free agents, bringing on former USWNT coach and Kansas City Current sporting director Vlatko Andonovski as the club’s new chief soccer officer. The Stars announced the move on Thursday, kicking off what will hopefully be a new era for the struggling franchise. According to a press release, Andonovski will oversee “all sporting and technical initiatives” in this role, which will include player strategy and development, scouting and roster input. The team says it will be hiring additional personnel to report to Andonovski in the sporting department amid what it calls “a structural rebuild.” Chicago Stars FC is thrilled to announce that the club has added Vlatko Andonovski as Chief Soccer Officer. A two-time NWSL Champion and Coach of the Year, NWSL Shield Winner, and former @USWNT head coach, Vlatko will lead all technical and sporting initiatives at the club.… pic.twitter.com/8ExFc0ixmR — Chicago Stars FC (@theChicagoStars) September 17, 2026 The move comes just 10 days after the Current announced that Andonovski would be departing the club, with the team saying that both parties agreed that Andonovski’s move to sporting director was “not the right fit.” Andonovski had spent two seasons as Kansas City’s head coach, including a dominant, record-breaking NWSL Shield finish last year, before the promotion. In an interview with ESPN , Andonovski said that he had spoken with six different NWSL teams about roles that were similar. One of those clubs asked him to return to coaching rather than stay in the front office, but Andonovski told ESPN that he prefers building the club and its identity. "I get excited with projects, and Chicago will very much be a project," he said. This story will be updated.