Ian Watmore quit as chief executive of the English Football Association on Monday after only nine months in the job, a move highlighting power struggles between the organization and the Premier League.
Watmore's resignation comes less than three months before the World Cup begins and leaves the FA looking for its fifth chief executive in 10 years.
Watmore didn't publicly discuss his reasons for leaving, but was widely known to have grown increasingly frustrated with the power Premier League officials have over the FA, and his own inability to push through changes.
FA chairman David Triesman said he had tried to persuade Watmore to stay.
"Ian Watmore tendered his resignation to me on Friday," Triesman said. "I asked him to reconsider over the weekend. However, he has confirmed today that his position remains unchanged and I have accepted it with great regret.
"There will be a board meeting tomorrow at noon. I am unable to make any further comment until after that meeting."
Watmore's predecessor, Brian Barwick, quit in August 2008 after disagreements with Triesman over the scope of his role but stayed until the end of that year.
Watmore's main achievement was reviving plans for a permanent training base for the national team to emulate France's Clairefontaine complex - eight years after it was first announced.
