English soccer executive Kay Cossington to launch new Bay Collective initiative

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kay Cossington, the women’s technical director for the English Football Association, will head a new multi-club soccer organization in collaboration with the majority owner of Bay FC.

The Bay Collective initiative announced Friday will invest in premier women’s soccer clubs internationally in partnership with Sixth Street, a global investment firm that is the lead owner of the National Women’s Soccer League’s San Francisco Bay Area club.

Cossington will serve as Sixth Street’s Head of Women’s Soccer and CEO of the Bay Collective. Her focus will be on developing players and teams across all levels of the game.

Cossington has been with the FA since 2005, first serving as a youth coach. She has been women’s technical director since 2020. She’ll remain in her role with the FA through May.

“As women’s football has experienced rapid growth in recent years, I believe we are at a critical inflection point. Now is the time to use this momentum to set even higher standards and start building something new and lasting to take the sport to its next glass-breaking level,” Cossington said in a statement.

The Bay Collective aims to provide athletes with resources including world-class playing, training and performance infrastructure, data and analytics, and professional development. Bay FC will be the first club served under the initiative.

San Francisco-based Sixth Street has also invested in Spanish soccer clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer