James Johnson, former CEO of Football Australia, is the new head of Canada Soccer Business.Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
The new group chief executive officer of Canadian Soccer Business suggested that the complaints about the arrangement that gives it control over the most valuable commercial assets belonging to Canada Soccer may dissipate if the company is successful in growing the sport in this country.
“There’s a phenomenal opportunity because of the structure that’s been put in place, and that’s something that is unique in global football,” said James Johnson. “To have all of the commercial properties for the country – the men’s and the women’s national teams and CPL [Canadian Premier League] – all sitting in the same entity, I think is really exciting.”
CSB’s investor group and board includes the CPL owners.
Johnson, 43, who stepped down earlier this month after five years as CEO of Football Australia, spoke to The Globe and Mail on Thursday from Brisbane, less than 24 hours after the company announced Mark Noonan would be leaving as CEO of Canadian Soccer Business and commissioner of the CPL at the end of June. Noonan has served in that position since September, 2022.
The contract between the CSB and Canada Soccer has come under withering condemnation and was the subject of parliamentary hearings. Critics allege the deal, under which CSB pays Canada Soccer an annual fee that escalates from $3-million to $3.7-million over the course of an initial 10-year term, kneecaps the federation by undervaluing its commercial and broadcast rights. The contract can be renewed for another 10 years at CSB’s discretion.
Canada Soccer’s culture problem
Last year, the Canadian Soccer Players’ Association, the union representing players on the women’s senior national team, filed a $40-million lawsuit against members of the board of Canada Soccer from 2018, when the deal was struck.
Johnson believes the arrangement could be the key to solving some of Canada Soccer’s woes. “I think it’s extraordinarily interesting to have all those commercial rights sitting together. But of course, if they sit together, they really need to be monetized and the economy needs to be grown, because ultimately a lot of contentious issues get solved where there’s more money to be invested in football.”
He noted that he and Kevin Blue, who was appointed the CEO of Canada Soccer in the spring of 2024, “spoke on many occasions,” as heads of their respective federations. Still, Johnson acknowledged, he has plenty to learn about the Canadian soccer landscape. He’ll take up his position, based in Toronto, in July.
“I’m looking forward to sitting down and trying to understand better some of the challenges that Canada Soccer has and ultimately trying to create a win-win situation, where we can grow the economy and grow the broader game, which is what everyone wants.”
Johnson suggested that next year’s FIFA World Cup, which Canada will co-host with the United States and Mexico, could help put the Canadian men’s senior national team on a trajectory that makes it “a huge brand not just on the Canadian level but also at the global level.”
He noted that the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which was hosted by Australia and New Zealand, helped to supercharge the Matildas, the Aussie women’s team.
“There was a lot of investment into the marketing of that team, and there was a lot of commercial sponsorship and revenue that was brought in that ultimately was invested ahead of the Women’s World Cup, and then it was put on a platform during the Women’s World Cup, and today it is the biggest sporting brand in the country,” he said. “And I really see a similarity with the [Canadian] men’s national team. I think there’s a great opportunity with a great team to really build the brand ahead of the men’s World Cup and then to put it on a platform where it can bring the whole country together.”
Johnson is a former Australia youth player who went on to leadership stints at the Asian Football Federation in Malaysia, FIFA and the City Football Group in Manchester. Scott Mitchell, chair of the CSB board of directors, said Johnson’s wide range of experience ticked all of the boxes.
“There really isn’t anything that we do that James doesn’t have not only experience in, but success in,” said Mitchell in an interview. “So, it was a rare combination that we found and we’re just thrilled to have him.”
Mitchell suggested that the role of group CEO, which will encompass a broader purview than Noonan’s job and will not include the day-to-day responsibilities of CPL commissioner, is a choice gig for “an ambitious soccer executive” looking to make a splash.
“I think it’s about the opportunity to make a big difference in a country that really has a chance to become a great soccer country,” he said. “I’m not sure there’s a better opportunity in the world.”