Haenni was appointed in January 2023 by NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) as Chief Sporting Director, in her role she will collaborate with players, league officials, and stakeholders to implement sporting strategies that distinguish and sustain the NWSL as the world’s premier women’s professional soccer league. Additionally, Haenni will lead the development of procedures, policies, and programs to identify, attract, retain, and grow the world’s best players, coaches, and referees.
Prior to her appointment at the NWSL, Haenni served as the Director of Women’s Football at the Swiss Football Association where she was responsible for all women’s soccer affairs, including the women’s national teams of all age categories, development of talent and player pathways, organization and administration of elite leagues across all age groups, management of the competitive, commercial and financial growth of women’s soccer in Switzerland and the creation of pathways for more women in football (coaches, referees, administrator, other roles).
Prior to her position at the Swiss FA, Haenni spent more than 18 years at FIFA, where she most recently served as deputy director Competitions and head of women’s competition, overseeing all aspects of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and devising strategies surrounding competition formats, tournament, and match policies and regulations, development programs and legacy initiatives.
Haenni began her sports business career at UEFA where she was responsible for all competitions and development projects on the women’s football side, including the organization of the Women’s European Championship.
A former member of the Swiss National Women’s Football Team and a UEFA ‘A’ coaching license holder, Haenni served as both coach and president of FC Zurich Frauen, previously known as SV Seebach. She has also served as a football expert and coach educator for the Swiss Federation.
Haenni received her MBA in sports management at the University of Bayreuth in Germany.
