FA appoint Dan Ashworth as chief football officer

The FA have confirmed they have appointed Dan Ashworth as chief football officer.

Ashworth was previously the FA's director of elite development and then technical director between 2013 and 2019.

The FA said: "[Ashworth] will oversee the regeneration of St. George’s Park, which will undergo a significant upgrade to its world-class performance facilities and pitches as England prepares to co-host UEFA EURO 2028.

"Reporting into FA CEO Mark Bullingham, Ashworth will work closely with men’s technical director John McDermott and Kay Cossington’s successor in the women’s technical directorate.

"He will focus primarily on optimising the potential of the national football centre and building the long-term systems that underpin the FA’s performance ambitions, from winning England teams to developing more homegrown coaches."

Bullingham added: "Dan is a hugely influential and respected figure in the game, who has a long-standing commitment to England Football.

"We are very happy to welcome him back in this new role."

Ashworth had been out of work since departing Manchester United just five months into his role as sporting director in December 2024.

Ashworth found himself in the middle of something of a tug of war between Manchester United and Newcastle United in 2024, with the latter reluctant to lose their sporting director to a Premier League rival, placing Ashworth on gardening leave.

First appointed as West Bromwich Albion's sporting and technical director in December 2007, Ashworth made the leap to the FA in September 2012, taking on the role of director of elite development before returning to club football with Brighton & Hove Albion in 2019.

Throughout Ashworth's time on the south coast, Brighton became an established Premier League club before Ashworth joined Newcastle in February 2022.

Liam Williams

• England Men's Football Team
• England Women's Football Team
• International Football
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