Mauricio Pochettino will remain at the helm of the United States men's national team through the 2030 World Cup, US Soccer confirmed on Monday, extending a partnership that began in 2024 and endured a bruising exit from this summer's tournament.
The federation and the Argentine coach had been negotiating an extension for months, well before the USMNT's disappointing round-of-16 defeat, with talks intensifying in the weeks after the World Cup concluded. Pochettino is set to receive a raise on his previous $6 million annual salary, which was already the highest ever paid to a US national team coach. Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin, who funded Pochettino's original deal, will reportedly continue as the chief financial backer of this new arrangement.
Beyond his primary duties with the senior team, Pochettino's responsibilities are expected to broaden. According to sources familiar with the deal, the coach and his staff will also weigh in on youth development, coaching education, and cooperation with professional leagues across the country, effectively giving him a wider influence over the federation's long-term technical direction.
"It has become clear to us that there is tremendous potential to make the men's national team program even stronger," Pochettino said in a statement announcing the extension. "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 US Soccer while helping strengthen the pathways for players, coaches and teams across the Federation."
He added that he hopes his work will resonate beyond results on the pitch: "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."
US Soccer CEO and Secretary General JT Batson praised the coach's commitment to the federation's broader ambitions. "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 US Soccer," Batson said. "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 summer's World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, initially offered promise for Pochettino's side. The Americans opened with an emphatic 4-1 win over Paraguay, followed by a victory against Australia and a defeat to Turkey, before topping their group. They then defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the round of 32. However, the tournament ended in controversy and disappointment, as the US were eliminated 4-1 by Belgium in the last 16.
The defeat was overshadowed by the case of striker Folarin Balogun, who was controversially sent off during the win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. His suspension was unusually delayed by a year following intervention involving President Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, allowing him to play against Belgium despite the incident drawing heavy criticism toward Infantino and the process itself. Belgium's players mocked Trump during their post-match celebrations.
Despite the rocky ending, Pochettino's tenure has featured several bright spots, including a startling 5-1 friendly win over Uruguay considered one of the program's most impressive results in recent memory. His overall record with the USMNT stands at 18 wins, 12 losses and one draw, though his early tenure included a fourth-place finish at the 2025 Nations League and a Gold Cup final loss to Mexico with a rotated squad.
Pochettino, a former Argentina international who has managed Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, joined the USMNT in 2024 after departing Chelsea following a single season. He had previously been reported to be considering a return to club football, but his commitment to the national team project now extends to the next World Cup cycle, which will be jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Based on reporting from The Guardian and The Independent.