Curt Johnson (soccer)
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Curt Johnson is an American soccer executive who is the general manager of
Denver Summit FC The Denver Summit FC is a future American professional soccer team based in Denver, Colorado, that will compete in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) starting in 2026. It was founded as an expansion team on January 30, 2025. History In ...
of the
National Women's Soccer League The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a women's professional Association football, soccer league and the highest level of the United States soccer league system#Women's leagues, United States soccer league system (alongside the USL Supe ...
(NWSL). Raised in
Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
, Johnson played
college soccer College soccer, called college football in some countries, is played by teams composed of soccer players who are enrolled in colleges and universities. While it is most widespread in the United States, it is also prominent in Japan, South Kore ...
for the
NC State Wolfpack The NC State Wolfpack is the nickname of the athletic teams representing North Carolina State University. The Wolfpack competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I (NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subd ...
. He entered the front office space as general manager of the
Richmond Kickers Richmond Kickers is an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia. The Kickers compete as a member of USL League One (USL1). The club was established in 1993, and began play that same year as a United States Interregional S ...
. He later worked for the
Kansas City Wizards Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. The administrative offices are located in downtown K ...
,
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
, and
US Club Soccer National Association of Competitive Soccer Clubs (US Club Soccer) is a national non-profit organization and member of the United States Soccer Federation that works to develop and support soccer clubs in the United States. Organization US C ...
. He was the president/general manager of
North Carolina FC North Carolina FC is an American professional association football, soccer team in Cary, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh, and member of the USL Championship. Founded in 2006, the team previously was named the Caro ...
from 2011 to 2024 and the
North Carolina Courage The North Carolina Courage are an American professional Association football, soccer team based in Cary, North Carolina, that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). It was founded on January 9, 2017, after Stephen Malik acqui ...
from 2017 to 2024.


Early life and playing career

A
Raleigh Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
native, Johnson graduated from
Ravenscroft School Ravenscroft School is a coed independent private school located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school enrolls students between Pre-Kindergarten and 12th grade, and serves 1,254 students. The school has three divisions: Lower School, Middl ...
. Following his prep career at Ravenscroft School and Capital Area Soccer League (CASL), Johnson continued his player career at the collegiate level in his hometown at
North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and p ...
, starring for the NC State Wolfpack men's soccer team from 1987 to 1990. During his career with the Wolfpack, Johnson appeared in 72 matches, and served as a captain in his senior season, as NC State won an ACC Championship and reached the NCAA semifinals. After his playing career, Johnson would later return to NC State as an assistant coach. He graduated with a degree in communications studies. In 2013, Johnson was inducted into the North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame.


Front office career

Johnson's first stint as a professional soccer executive came in the late 1990s with the Richmond Kickers of the A-League. From 1997–99, Johnson served in a leadership role, both as vice president of operations and general manager. During Johnson's tenure with the Kickers, the team won the Atlantic Division in 1998. After his third season in Richmond, Johnson was chosen as the general manager of the Kansas City Wizards by Lamar Hunt and Clark Hunt. During his tenure with the Wizards, Johnson made an immediate impact, as Kansas City completed the double by winning both the MLS Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup in 2000. Four years later, Johnson and Kansas City once again lifted a trophy in 2004 with a win over the Chicago Fire in the U.S. Open Cup Final. Johnson was instrumental in the transfer of ownership of the club from the Hunt family to OnGoal, LLC. Before joining North Carolina Football Club in 2011, Johnson served as the
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
' director of marketing from 2007–08 and later worked for U.S. Club Soccer, where he helped to develop strategies for growth of the game at the youth levels for both boys and girls.


North Carolina Football Club

In February 2011, it was announced that Johnson would serve as President of the Carolina RailHawks. In Johnson's first season leading the club, the RailHawks won the NASL regular season title under first-year head coach Martin Rennie, going 17W–8L–3D with a then league-record 13-game unbeaten streak. From 2012–14, the RailHawks developed a reputation as one of the toughest second-division teams in the country to play against due to their performances in the
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a knockout cup competition in men's soccer in the United States. It is the country's oldest ongoing national soccer competition. The competition was first held duri ...
. From 2012–14, the RailHawks recorded five wins against
Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional Association football, soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanc ...
opponents, including three in as many years against the
LA Galaxy The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The Gal ...
. The RailHawks reached the quarterfinals of the competition in both 2012 and 2014. In 2015, Johnson helped oversee the transfer in ownership of the RailHawks from Traffic Sports USA to Stephen Malik, a local Triangle businessman and medical software entrepreneur. In 2016, Johnson was instrumental in the RailHawks hosting
English Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
Club
West Ham United West Ham United Football Club is a professional Association football, football club based in Stratford, London, Stratford, East London, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English f ...
in front of a then North Carolina Football Club-record 10,125 fans. In December 2016, the RailHawks rebranded to North Carolina FC, and in January 2017 Malik announced the addition of the North Carolina Courage, an NWSL team which Johnson was named president and general manager of. Both NCFC and the Courage reached the postseason in 2017, as the Courage claimed the NWSL Shield and reached the league’s title game. Johnson also played a role in negotiating a partnership between North Carolina Football Club, Capital Area Soccer League and Triangle Futbol Club, which led to the creation of NCFC Youth, which Johnson currently serves on the board of. Ahead of the 2018 season, Johnson helped orchestrate a deals that saw the Courage acquire U.S. Women’s National Team star
Crystal Dunn Crystal Alyssia Soubrier (; born July 3, 1992) is an American professional soccer player for Première Ligue club Paris Saint-Germain and the United States national team. A versatile player, she primarily plays as an attacking midfielder or ...
and former USWNT standout
Heather O'Reilly Heather Ann O'Reilly (born January 2, 1985) is an American former professional women's soccer player who played as a midfielder. She played for the United States women's national soccer team (USWNT), with whom she won three Olympic gold medals ...
, and the team became the first in NWSL history win both the shield and NWSL Championship. Following the 2018 USL season, Johnson made his second NCFC coaching change, as the club announced the hiring of former U.S. Men’s National Team Manager
Dave Sarachan Dave Sarachan (born June 7, 1954) is an American former soccer player and coach. Sarachan spent two seasons as a player in the North American Soccer League and four in Major Indoor Soccer League before retiring in 1982. Since then, he has coa ...
on December 17, 2018. With Sarachan in charge, NCFC finished seventh in the USL Championship Eastern Conference and reached the playoffs for the second time in three years in 2019. Meanwhile, the Courage became the first team in NWSL history to win a league championship on its home field, as it defeated the Chicago Red Stars 4–0 in front 10,227 spectators, the largest crowd in North Carolina Football Club history.


Denver Summit FC

Expansion team
Denver Summit FC The Denver Summit FC is a future American professional soccer team based in Denver, Colorado, that will compete in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) starting in 2026. It was founded as an expansion team on January 30, 2025. History In ...
announced Johnson as the team's first general manager on May 29, 2025.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Curt Sporting Kansas City Major League Soccer executives North American Soccer League (2011–2017) executives National Women's Soccer League executives Living people North Carolina FC North Carolina Courage Richmond Kickers Carolina Hurricanes 1968 births