Alumni Spotlight: Amy Hopfinger
Amy Hopfinger (A&S ’03) has been behind some of the world’s biggest and most successful global events, a leader for women in sports and part of the groundbreaking growth of soccer in the United States. As the FIFA World Cup 2026’s chief business and strategy officer, she is charged with planning and overseeing the FIFA World Cup this summer.
She said her success was possible only because she was willing to put herself out there and ask for help along the way. “Things don’t just happen for you,” she said. “You have to go out and get them.”
At 18, Hopfinger thought she was going to be a physical therapist, a path inspired by her father, Billiken Hall-of-Famer Bill Hopfinger (DCHS ’78), who often brought her to campus when she was young as he worked with Saint Louis University athletes as SLU’s head athletic trainer. Ultimately, though, she graduated from SLU with a degree in psychology.
Her next move changed the trajectory of her career. Dan Flynn (CSB ’78), former CEO of the U.S. Soccer Federation, helped her secure an entry-level position with the organization. She expected to be there a year but stayed nearly two decades, most recently as vice president of events and special advisor to the United States, Mexico and Canada’s winning campaign for the FIFA World Cup 2026. She was also a founding a rchitect and lead for the federation’s SheBelieves movement, one of American sports’ premier platforms to inspire and empower girls and young women.
Growing up around sports, she learned about being part of a team, Hopfinger said. Watching her father also taught her the value of hard work and about being a good boss and person. She also learned life lessons at Saint Louis University.
“SLU helped lay the groundwork for my future,” she said. She was pushed to challenge herself and step outside her comfort zone, making lifelong friends and mentors along the way.
“SLU did a great job of helping me discover what was best for me as a person, not just a student,” she said. “My time at SLU also taught me a lot about community and the importance of being part of and surrounded by a great team. I would not be where I am today without so many amazing people that I have had the fortune to work for and with.”
The ability to challenge herself and push limits has quietly defined her career, she said.
Hired in 2022 as the first U.S.-based employee for the FIFA World Cup 2026, she now oversees hundreds of employees as they prepare for what is projected to be the largest sporting event in history. With over 6 million fans filling stadiums across 16 host cities — and 6 billion more engaging with the tournament across the globe — all eyes will be on the FIFA World Cup from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Hopfinger’s advice for SLU students and fellow alumni is to put themselves out there and be open to what comes next. The reward? Being surrounded by excellence.
“Seeing firsthand teams train and play at the highest level ... how can you not want to be the best if you are surrounded by the best?” she said. “Thankfully, I’ve gotten to do that all my life.”
This story was published in the spring 2026 issue of Universitas.
About Universitas
Universitas, the award-winning alumni magazine of Saint Louis University, is distributed to alumni, parents and benefactors of the University. The magazine includes campus news, feature stories, alumni profiles and class notes, and has a circulation of 103,000.