Mauricio Pochettino will remain at the helm of the U.S. men’s national team after signing a contract extension that will keep him as head coach through the 2030 World Cup, U.S. Soccer announced Monday.
The new agreement will allow the Argentine coach to continue the project he began in September 2024, with the 2026 World Cup as its first major challenge. He will be joined by his coaching staff, which includes Jesús Pérez, Miguel D’Agostino, Toni Jiménez, Sebastian Pochettino, and Sylvia Tuyà.
“Mauricio and his team believe in the future of soccer in the United States,” said JT Batson, CEO and general secretary of U.S. Soccer, who emphasized that this renewal aims to strengthen the national team’s growth and maintain the goal of competing for world titles, as well as to drive the development of soccer across the country.
The federation also reported that the project’s continuation is supported by a significant philanthropic donation from Kenneth C. Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel and founder of Griffin Catalyst, as well as contributions from Scott Goodwin, Adam Freede, and other business partners.
The renewal had been in the works since before the World Cup and gained momentum in recent weeks. Andreas Cantor indicated that negotiations were progressing, while U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone stated a few days ago that talks with Pochettino and his team were on track.
On Monday, Cone highlighted the Argentine coach’s impact on the team.
“Mauricio has created a culture in which the players trust the team, the process, and one another. That culture—and the coaching staff that helped build it—is precisely what we want to continue investing in for the men’s national team, both now and in the future,” she said.
For his part, Pochettino said that the experience of the past two years has confirmed the potential of the U.S. program and that the atmosphere during the World Cup reinforced his commitment to the project.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to bring all of our experience and expertise to more areas of U.S. Soccer, while helping to strengthen development pathways for players, coaches, and teams across the Federation,” he said.
The 54-year-old Argentine coach took over the position following the United States’ elimination in the group stage of the 2024 Copa América. During his tenure, he led the team to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, where they were eliminated by Belgium with a score of 4-1, after topping Group D with wins over Paraguay and Australia, as well as a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32.
So far, Pochettino’s record at the helm of the U.S. national team stands at 17 wins, 12 losses, and two draws. Although reaching the round of 16 met pre-tournament expectations, the elimination against Belgium left the impression that the team could have gone further as the host nation.
