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Report: Sunil Gulati may not run for U.S. Soccer presidency

Legendary Pele and World-Renowned New York Cosmos Score a Comeback

NEW YORK - AUGUST 01: (L-R) Soccer Legend Pele, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and President of the United States Soccer Federation Sunil Gulati chat before the announcement of the return of the World Renowned New York Cosmos at Flushing Meadows Corona Park on August 1, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for the New York Cosmos)

Neilson Barnard

We could have a real shakeup in the U.S. Soccer presidential election, with the leading candidate in the race reportedly on the brink of stepping down.

[ MORE: AC Milan boss Gattuso likens Benevento draw to being “stabbed” ]

Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl is reporting that current U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati is “strongly considering not running for re-election.”

Gulati, 58, has overseen U.S. Soccer at his current capacity since 2006, when Robert Contiguglia stepped down from his position that same year.

As things stand, Gulati is one of eight candidates officially in the mix to run for the presidency in 2018, including former NBC Sports soccer analyst Kyle Martino and ex-USMNT players Eric Wynalda and Paul Caligiuri.

Wahl also notes in his Twitter post that if Gulati doesn’t run for re-election that he could potentially endorse Kathy Carter -- president of Soccer United Marketing.

SUM has come into question recently as corruption allegations continue to surface pertaining to payments made to the multi-billion dollar organization. Meanwhile, NASL’s ongoing lawsuit against the USSF also directly involves SUM because of its ties to both U.S. Soccer and Major League Soccer.