Mark Parsons
Mark Richard David Parsons (born 8 August 1986) is an English football manager and the sporting director of Angel City FC in the NWSL. He holds USSF and UEFA coaching licenses and is both British and a US citizen.
Parsons began his coaching career in England with Chelsea’s academy and later led the Chelsea Women’s Reserve team to a treble in his first season. He moved to the United States in 2010, serving as technical director at Culpeper SC in Virginia, then coaching D.C. United Women’s Under-20s in 2012. He joined Washington Spirit in 2013, starting with the reserves and becoming the first team coach later that year. He led Spirit to playoff appearances in 2014 and 2015 before stepping down in 2015.
He became head coach of Portland Thorns FC in 2016, guiding the team to a 12-game unbeaten streak at the start of the season and earning the NWSL Shield. The Thorns won the league championship in 2017 and again claimed the Shield in 2021, along with the Challenge Cup and the Women’s ICC that year, while posting a club record for shutouts.
In 2021, Parsons was named head coach of the Netherlands women’s national team, continuing with Portland until the season ended. His contract with the KNVB ended in 2022. He returned to Washington Spirit as head coach in 2022, but it was announced he would not return after the 2023 season.
In January 2025, Parsons was appointed sporting director (and general manager) of Angel City FC.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 07:21 (CET).