McDonough to lead USL’s next phase of growth;
Alec Papadakis transitions to Board Co-Chair alongside BellTower CEO Kewsong Lee
TAMPA, Fla., May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The United Soccer League (USL) today announced that Paul McDonough has been named President and Chief Executive Officer, effective June 1. McDonough will lead the league’s strategy, operations, and execution as the USL advances its long-term vision for professional soccer in the United States.
As part of this transition, Alec Papadakis will move from CEO to Co-Chair of the USL Board, and BellTower CEO Kewsong Lee will be elevated from Vice Chair to Co-Chair.
“I’m honored to step into this role and grateful for the trust of the Board,” McDonough said. “The USL is about giving every fan a home, every player a pathway, and ensuring every community has a place in the sport. We’re building a connected soccer system across every level where performance drives opportunity and ambition is rewarded. With USL Premier and promotion and relegation ahead, we’re putting a structure in place that introduces a true meritocracy to the sport in the United States for the first time. I look forward to working closely with our clubs, ownership groups, and leadership team as we continue reshaping professional soccer in this country.”
“It has been the privilege of my career to help build the USL over the past 16 years,” Papadakis said. “From the beginning, this has been about expanding access to the sport and strengthening the connection between our communities and the global game of soccer. I’m especially proud of the team and what we’ve been able to accomplish together. I have full confidence in Paul and the leadership group as they drive USL’s next exciting chapter.”
Papadakis has led the USL for almost two decades, overseeing its growth into a national platform spanning youth, pre-professional, and professional soccer across the men’s and women’s game. Under his leadership, the USL has expanded into more than 200 communities across 45 states and built a broad development system across the sport. He was recently awarded the Werner Fricker Builder Award by the United States Soccer Federation – the highest honor bestowed by U.S. Soccer to an individual – in recognition of his impact on the growth and accessibility of soccer in the U.S.
McDonough has served as USL President and Chief Soccer Officer since 2023, leading the league’s professional soccer strategy and competition initiatives. He brings more than 20 years of experience across the soccer industry, spanning league, club, and player representation, including senior leadership roles with Wasserman (now The Team), Inter Miami CF, and Atlanta United FC, where he helped launch expansion clubs and build key operational infrastructure.
The USL is preparing for the launch of USL Premier, establishing a three-division professional structure alongside the USL Championship and USL League One. The league is also advancing plans for promotion and relegation across its professional tiers, creating a connected, merit-based system designed to elevate competition and expand opportunity across the pyramid.
The USL accessed institutional capital for the first time in 2025, anchored by a strategic partnership with BellTower Partners. BellTower works closely with league leadership to help shape key initiatives and accelerate the league’s continued development. The USL’s broader investor base includes Weatherford Capital, Advaya Capital, family offices, and other partners.
About the United Soccer League (USL)
Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League (https://www.uslsoccer.com/) is built around independent, community-rooted clubs and a competitive structure that creates opportunity and rewards ambition. It impacts more than 200 communities across 45 states and is the first and only organization to provide a complete youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one structure.
The USL oversees multiple men’s and women’s leagues across the professional and pre-professional levels, including the newly announced USL Premier (Division I), the USL Championship (Division II), USL League One (Division III), USL League Two, the Gainbridge Super League (Division I women’s professional league), and the USL W League. USL Academy and USL Youth support talent development and youth engagement.
With long-term media partnerships across CBS Sports, ESPN, TUDN, and Peacock, the USL is one of the most accessible soccer platforms in the country, bringing professional soccer closer to fans nationwide.
About BellTower Partners
BellTower Partners (https://belltowerpartners.com) is a private investment firm supporting operating platforms focused on scalable, lasting growth. Deploying patient and permanent capital, the firm acquires meaningful ownership stakes in well-positioned businesses. BellTower’s integrated operator and investor perspective enables trust-based partnerships with management teams to accelerate business building and value creation over the long-term.
Since its founding in 2023, BellTower’s investments have grown to include significant interests in industry leaders such as Ascot Group Limited (https://www.ascotgroup.com/), a global specialty insurance company, Patricof Co (https://www.pco.com/), a private investment and advisory firm focused on the world’s elite athletes and the broader sports asset class, and AMAG Technology (https://amag.com/), a global leader in integrated high-security access control, identity, guest, and video management solutions.
BellTower was founded by Kewsong Lee, the former CEO of The Carlyle Group. Prior to Carlyle, Mr. Lee was a partner and a member of the Executive Management Group at Warburg Pincus, where he spent 21 years. Mr. Lee currently serves as the Chair of Ascot Group Limited, Chair of Patricof Co, Chair of the Lincoln Center Theater Board of Directors (https://www.lct.org/) and Vice Chair of the Partnership for New York City (https://pfnyc.org/). He previously served on numerous public and private boards including TransDigm, Aramark, and Arch Capital.
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SOURCE United Soccer League
