USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino signs new contract lasting through 2030

ATLANTA – The U.S. Soccer Federation and Mauricio Pochettino have agreed to a new contract that keeps him as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team through 2030, launching a new chapter in the project that will allow Pochettino and his coaching staff to continue the growth of the senior U.S. Men’s National Team while having a greater impact on the U.S. Soccer ecosystem.

Widely regarded as one of the world’s top managers, Pochettino joined the USMNT in September of 2024 and focused primarily on preparing the USMNT for the FIFA World Cup 2026. With this new commitment, he and the coaching staff will also advise and support U.S. Soccer on the broader development of the full National Team pathway, youth soccer, coaching education, professional league collaboration and other technical facets across the soccer community.

“Mauricio and his staff believe in the future of soccer in the United States and our new project allows us to build on progress of the USMNT and the momentum of U.S. Soccer,” said U.S. Soccer CEO and Secretary General JT Batson. “We know we have a lot of work to do to achieve our clear ambitions, including competing to win Men’s World Cups and having soccer become the most played sport in every community. I couldn’t be more excited that Mauricio and team are committed to partnering with all of us to do the hard work to bring those ambitions to life.”

This new agreement follows a historic FIFA World Cup campaign in which Pochettino set the USMNT record for most tournament wins by a head coach. Under his leadership, the U.S. won its group outright for only the third time in U.S. Men’s National Team history, then defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2-0, in the Round of 32 — the program’s first knockout-stage victory since 2002 — while setting a new USMNT record for wins in a single World Cup. The attacking approach that defined the run saw the U.S. score in all five matches and net at least two goals in four of them.

“Working together with U.S. Soccer over the past two years, it has become clear to us that there is tremendous potential to make the Men’s National Team program even stronger,” said Pochettino. “The passion we experienced from the fans throughout the World Cup only strengthened our belief in what is possible here. We are excited by the opportunity to bring all our experience and knowledge to even more areas of U.S. Soccer while helping strengthen the pathways for players, coaches and teams across the Federation. We want to try to have a lasting impact on the sport in the country that has welcomed us so warmly and for that impact to extend beyond results on the field.”

In his first full cycle with the USMNT, Pochettino will have the opportunity to test and strengthen the player pool through numerous official competitions. Ahead of the qualifying process for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the USMNT will compete in the 2027 Concacaf Nations League, the 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup, the 2029 Concacaf Nations League, and the 2029 Concacaf Gold Cup.

The influence of the coaching staff will extend throughout the men’s national team programs, with important youth tournaments on the horizon including the U-17 and U-20 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 2028 Olympic Games being hosted in the United States.

“Mauricio has built a culture where players trust the group, trust the process and trust each other,” said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. “We saw the impact of that belief in the way the team grew, competed and performed on the world’s biggest stage. That culture, and the staff who helped build it, are exactly what we want to continue investing in for the Men’s National Team now and for the future. We are also excited about the experience and perspective Mauricio and his staff can bring across U.S. Soccer as we strengthen our pathways and seek to impact the broader soccer landscape in the United States.”

Since taking over, Pochettino and his coaching staff dove deep into the National Team player pool to identify and provide opportunities to players seeking a coveted spot on the World Cup roster.

In total, 62 players have earned a cap under Pochettino since October of 2024, coming from 16 different leagues in 12 different countries. On the scoring front, a total of 23 different players have tallied at least one of the 53 goals scored during his tenure.

In addition to his on-field achievements, Pochettino is known for his ability to manage and motivate the biggest talents and his dedication to developing young prospects. Those qualities have helped foster a connected, high-performance environment within the USMNT, where experienced internationals and emerging players have thrived together.

That philosophy was reflected in the opportunities Pochettino gave to emerging talent. Three of the five 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year nominees — Max Arfsten, Alex Freeman and Matt Freese — earned their first international caps and all three went on to make the 2026 World Cup roster alongside fellow first-cap recipients Sebastian Berhalter and Chris Brady.

This focus on youth development aligns well with U.S. Soccer’s long-term strategy to build a strong pipeline of talent for the National Teams and will be a point of emphasis with the 2028 Olympic Games on the horizon.

Much of Pochettino’s success has come from the continuity of his trusted staff. Jesús Pérez, Miguel D’Agostino and Toni Jiménez have worked alongside Pochettino for more than 15 years, winning three titles together at Paris Saint-Germain and reaching the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final with Tottenham Hotspur. The additions of Sebastiano Pochettino and Sílvia Tuyà have served to broaden the experience and expertise of the group.

This appointment and broader investment in the U.S. Men’s National Team program is being supported in significant part by a philanthropic leadership gift from Kenneth C. Griffin, Founder and CEO of Citadel and Founder of Griffin Catalyst. Additional support has been provided by Scott Goodwin, Adam Freede, and several commercial partners.

Born in Murphy, Argentina, the 54-year-old Pochettino had a distinguished playing career as a central defender, earning 20 caps for the Argentina National Team and participating in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. His club career included stops at Newell’s Old Boys, Espanyol, Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux.

Pochettino holds a UEFA Pro License and is fluent in Spanish, French, and English.