NWSL’s Chicago Stars fire GM Richard Feuz; search underway for replacement

Posted May 27, 2026 3:39 pm

By Melanie Anzidei

The Chicago Stars announced Wednesday that they have fired general manager Richard Feuz after two years with the club.

The abrupt change in leadership comes at a time when the Stars are struggling on the pitch.

The club sits second-to-last in the NWSL, with a 3-8-0 record. Although the team has enjoyed a slight recent upswing with the return of U.S. women’s national team forward Mallory Swanson, who led the Stars to their third win of the season Sunday at Bay FC in her second match back, the club said that now is the right time for a change in direction.

“Chicago Stars FC and its ownership recognize that our on-field performance has fallen short of the standards we have set for ourselves and the expectations of our fans,” Stars president Karen Leetzow said in a club statement. “Following a thorough assessment of the organization, we have determined that a change in sporting leadership is necessary to reach our collective ambitions.”

The club said it has already begun its search for Feuz’s replacement.

“We are seeking an experienced sporting leader who brings a proven track record of building competitive rosters and aligning organizations around a clear vision,” Leetzow said in the statement. “We are grateful for Richard’s dedication to the Stars and for his work in attracting world-class talent to Chicago.”

Leetzow further explained the decision Wednesday afternoon in a call with reporters. “What we hope for in a league like this is to be competitive,” she said. “You want to be in playoff contention. … But at the very least, you need to have a compelling product on the pitch.

“I don’t think we have either this year, and that is not for lack of trying, and it’s why we are disappointed with the outcome and why we decided to make the change that we made today.”

The club already has a list of potential GM candidates, Leetzow added. The organization is also considering restructuring its operations to prioritize “having a clear, decision-making hierarchy,” she said.

“We are looking at what other clubs are doing,” Leetzow said. “You see combinations of GMs and sporting directors. You see pure GM models. Just trying to figure out, do we have the best organizational structure for this club? We’re going to make that decision as we go through this process.

“For right now, we know we need a talented GM that will provide some stability for this club. I do believe that person needs to have significant experience.”

In the interim, sporting decisions will be managed by existing staff, including assistant GM Beatrice Caliani and director of soccer operations and player care Olivia Wynn. Final decisions, Leetzow said, would go through her, with the hope that this arrangement would be “as temporary as can be.”

Although the team has no set timeline for when it will hire a new GM, Leetzow acknowledged wanting to fill the role sooner rather than later. With summer transfer windows fast approaching, the next several months could prove critical for the Stars’ chances of turning around their season and returning to the NWSL playoffs.

“We plan to take full advantage of free agency and the market windows, so we would like to fill that role as quickly as possible,” Leetzow said. “But we are not going to trade speed for the selection of the right candidate.”

Feuz joined the Stars in February 2024, and his time at the helm was marked by near-constant change. Following his arrival, the team clinched a playoff berth that season. Last year, the Stars finished at the bottom of the NWSL table after a season that saw three interim coaches following the firing of Lorne Donaldson in April 2025.

The club is hopeful that efforts behind the scenes will spur a revival on the pitch. Head coach Martin Sjögren, best known for his time leading the Norway women’s national team, began his tenure at the start of the 2026 season. The Stars also managed to secure former longtime U.S. women’s national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher for at least one more season. Swanson’s return from maternity leave was an expected boost that finally came this month.

The Stars return home this weekend to face the San Diego Wave, which is third in the standings. The strong opponent will be a significant test for the Stars, as they try to carry the momentum from a bounce-back win over a short-handed Bay FC side that finished the game with nine players. It is the team’s final match before a monthlong pause for the start of the men’s World Cup.