Senior Manager, World Cup Events (Temporary Role)

Major League Soccer•New York, NY

16d•$43 - $50

About The Position

This is a temporary position beginning on or about January 2026 through on or about October 2026 and payrolled through a 3rd Party Provider. Major League Soccer (MLS) is hiring a temporary Senior Manager, World Cup Events, for an 8-month term to support the League’s event strategy and execution for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This role will collaborate closely with the Events team and cross-functional partners to plan, manage, and deliver MLS-related World Cup experiences. A major focus of the position will be supporting MLS clubs in non-host markets as they develop Soccer Celebration fan fests, viewing parties, community activations, and other market-wide engagement opportunities. The role will also support the team by leading various media events, community events, and season re-start events post World Cup. This position requires strong project management skills, creative event vision, cross-department collaboration, and an ability to support multiple large events simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree
7+ years of experience in event, agency and/or sponsorship activation
5–7+ years of experience in large-scale event production, live events, sports, entertainment, hospitality, or related fields.
Experience working on a premier big event planning team (e.g. Super Bowl, Final Four, Grammy’s, etc.)
Proven experience managing multiple concurrent events with complex logistics, partners, and timelines .
Strong project management skills, with the ability to create and maintain structured planning systems, timelines, and reporting documentation.
Experience working with agencies, vendors, and partners—including RFP development, contract negotiation, and deliverable oversight.
Demonstrated experience owning and managing budgets, cost controls, and financial reconciliation.
Ability to build strong cross-functional working relationships with internal teams, external partners, and senior leadership.
Strong communication skills, including brief-writing, presentation development, and stakeholder reporting.
Ability to travel and work non-traditional hours as required by the event schedule.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in sports or a live event environment strongly preferred; soccer knowledge a plus.

Responsibilities

Plan and produce MLS public-facing events (including fan festivals, viewing parties, interactive spaces, concerts, community events, panels, and media events), overseeing logistics, creative execution, and internal approvals.
Serve as the primary point of contact for non–host market MLS clubs, guiding planning, resourcing, and execution of Soccer Celebration fan fests and watch-party programs.
Develop scalable toolkits, planning guides, timelines, budget models, and vendor recommendations that clubs can easily adopt based on market needs.
Manage programming development and run-of-show planning for all World Cup–related events.
Oversee creative concept integration, ensuring all experiences align with MLS brand identity and narrative.
Lead the RFP process for agencies, vendors, and contractors, including sourcing, evaluation, negotiation, contracting, budget management, oversight of deliverables, site visits, production planning, and full billing and reconciliation management.
Manage and track budgets for all World Cup-related events, providing accurate forecasting, cost controls, and financial reporting to internal stakeholders.
Build and manage cross-functional project plans, ensuring alignment across Marketing, Sponsorship, Communications, Social, and Creative teams.
Lead site visits and planning meetings with clubs, partners, and venues; support city permitting and compliance processes as needed.
Develop and manage enterprise-wide hosting and hospitality plans, including VIP client programs, hosting opportunities, and allocation and management of major assets such as World Cup tickets and access.
Track market readiness and event milestones, proactively identifying risks and providing solutions to keep projects on schedule.
Prepare comprehensive event documentation including project plans, event briefs, executive updates, and post-event recaps with KPIs and learnings.
Support league-wide initiatives surrounding World Cup buildup, in-tournament activity, and MLS season restart events following the World Cup.
Provide administrative support as needed, including documentation, vendor coordination, correspondence, and archival maintenance.
Additional responsibilities as assigned.