Sporting KC Appoints David Lee President and GM

Sporting Kansas City has hired David Lee as president of soccer operations and general manager on a seven-year deal running through 2032. Lee joins from New York City FC, where he rose from director of player recruitment in 2014 to sporting director (2019–2025) and helped NYCFC win the 2021 MLS Cup and 2022 Campeones Cup. He will oversee first-team roster management, player recruitment, scouting, analytics, technical staff, and the Sporting KC II/academy pathway, reporting to ownership. Lee will supervise sporting director Mike Burns and interim coach Kerry Zavagnin, filling the club’s chief soccer officer vacancy after Peter Vermes’ March departure. The appointment follows a six-month global search as Sporting KC looks to rebuild amid a difficult season — 14th in the MLS Western Conference with two regular-season matches remaining. New York City FC has begun a search for Lee’s replacement, and Lee’s final day at NYCFC was reported as Oct. 6.