Pochettino extends U.S. men’s soccer contract through 2030

Mauricio Pochettino will remain coach of the U.S. men’s national soccer team through the 2030 FIFA World Cup, giving the program another cycle under the high-profile manager after a promising but ultimately disappointing World Cup run ended in the Round of 16.

U.S. Soccer announced the contract extension Monday. Pochettino’s original deal ran only through this summer’s World Cup, where the United States won all three of its group-stage matches before losing 4-1 to Belgium.

“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,” U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson said in a statement.

Pochettino, hired in 2024, arrived with one of the strongest résumés of any U.S. men’s national team coach, having managed major European clubs including Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. His task was to stabilize and elevate the team after it stumbled in a key tournament before the World Cup.

The World Cup campaign began brightly. The U.S. beat Paraguay 4-1 in its opener, then defeated Australia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, giving the team three wins — the most the U.S. men had ever recorded at a World Cup. The run drew packed stadiums and large television audiences. NPR reported that the Belgium loss drew a combined average of 50.1 million viewers on Fox and Telemundo, making it the most-watched soccer broadcast in American history.

But the Belgium match brought a sharp end to the run. The Guardian reported that the U.S. was outclassed in the game and that Pochettino, along with many players, took much of the blame for the defeat.

Pochettino said the experience reinforced his belief in the program’s potential.

“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,” he said in the federation’s announcement. “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.”

U.S. Soccer said Pochettino and his staff will continue to focus on the senior national team while also advising and supporting broader areas of the federation, including the national team pathway, youth soccer, coaching education, professional league collaboration and other technical work across the soccer community.

The Guardian reported that the extension followed months of talks and that financial terms were not released. The outlet reported that Pochettino is expected to receive a raise from the $6 million per year he earned under his previous deal, already the largest spending commitment for a U.S. head coach. The Guardian also reported that billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin, who helped fund the original contract, is expected to be the primary funder of the new deal.

Pochettino has gone 18-12-1 with the United States, according to The Guardian. His tenure included a fourth-place finish in the 2025 Nations League, a loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup final with a heavily rotated squad, and a 5-1 friendly win over Uruguay.

The next World Cup will be played mostly in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Before then, the U.S. is scheduled to compete in major regional tournaments, including next year’s CONCACAF Nations League and CONCACAF Gold Cup.