@End of the Line. No. The WNT is not a private entity. It is a team that is promoted by the United States Soccer Federation, which is a "Public Benefit Corporation" formed under New York law, and enjoys exemption from Federal Taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code because it
IS NOT PRIVATE, but a
corporation formed for the benefit of the public. So, now we look at the unique "Federal" status the United State Soccer Federation enjoys.
The Federation is the national governing body for the sport of soccer in the United States, as provided by the Sports Act (as defined in Bylaw 109) and the United States Olympic Committee (“
USOC”). Note, the "Sports Act" refers to the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, chapter 2205 of title 36, United States Code. The USSF has been giving a federal monopoly over the sport to serve as the governing body. With that unique Federal status, comes certain responsibilities to promote the sport and to refrain from activities that do not promote the sport.
The statement or belief that the Federation does not receive "federal" funding assumes that being exempt from taxation is not a federal benefit. So, yes, the federal government does not give money directly to the Federation, but it also does not tax the Federation, which saves the federation roughly $25M to $30M per year. All 501(c)(3) entities receive federal tax subsidies by not paying taxes, and in the case of the Federation, it receives grants and funding from the U.S. Olympic Committee, which is a "Federally Chartered" corporation under 36 US §220502. Because the Federation is the National Governing Body for the sport of soccer and a PUBLIC CORPORATION, not private, it has the following duties as mandated by FEDERAL LAW:
For the sport that it governs, a national governing body shall—
(1) develop interest and participation throughout the United States and be responsible to the persons and amateur sports organizations it represents;
(2) minimize, through coordination with other amateur sports organizations, conflicts in the scheduling of all practices and competitions;
(3) keep amateur athletes informed of policy matters and reasonably reflect the views of the athletes in its policy decisions;
(4) disseminate and distribute to amateur athletes, coaches, trainers, managers, administrators, and officials in a timely manner the applicable rules and any changes to such rules of the national governing body, the corporation, the appropriate international sports federation, the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, and the Pan-American Sports Organization;
(5) allow an amateur athlete to compete in any international amateur athletic competition conducted by any amateur sports organization or person, unless the national governing body establishes that its denial is based on evidence that the organization or person conducting the competition does not meet the requirements stated in section 220525 of this title;
(6) provide equitable support and encouragement for participation by women where separate programs for male and female athletes are conducted on a national basis;
(7) encourage and support amateur athletic sports programs for individuals with disabilities and the participation of individuals with disabilities in amateur athletic activity, including, where feasible, the expansion of opportunities for meaningful participation by individuals with disabilities in programs of athletic competition for able-bodied individuals;
(8) provide and coordinate technical information on physical training, equipment design, coaching, and performance analysis; and
(9) encourage and support research, development, and dissemination of information in the areas of sports medicine and sports safety.
In sum, because the Federation is not a for-profit private entity, but a public benefit corporation AND most importantly has special status as the National Governing Body for the sport of soccer under the Ted Stevens Act and therefore the ONLY organization allowed to represent the United States in the sport of soccer during the Olympics and other international competition, it must adhere to the principals of the Ted Stevens Act and remain apolitical.
To answer you other question, the rules relating to the 501(c)(3) corporations are just fine how they are. I'm fine with churches, charities, sports programs, etc., receiving federal subsidies by being exempt from taxation. I'm not fine with National Governing Bodies under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act endorsing political or religious beliefs or non-beliefs and/or advocating for anything beyond what their charter calls for.