Bet on continuity. The United States Soccer Federation (US Soccer) and Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino have agreed to a new contract that keeps him as technical director of the United States national team (USMNT) until 2030.
This new agreement comes after a historic campaign in the FIFA World Cup 2026in which coach Pochettino set the USMNT record for most tournament wins by a head coach.
Under his direction, The US won its first phase group outright —for the third time in its history—and later defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in a great match in the round of 32 stage (the USMNT’s first victory in a direct elimination phase since 2002 when they eliminated Mexico) and thereby also establishing a new record of victories for “The Stars and Stripes” in the same World Cup.
The offensive approach that characterized his career allowed the United States to score in all five games played and score at least 2 goals in four of them.
Unfortunately, already in the Round of 16 phase, the American squad could not repeat its best version and was eliminated at the hands of Belgium. However, in general terms, the USA’s performance left good soccer memories in the 2026 World Cup where it was co-host with Mexico and Canada.
Regarding Pochettino’s renewal from US Soccer they commented, “This marks the beginning of a new chapter in the project, allowing Pochettino and his coaching staff to continue driving the growth of the senior men’s national team and, at the same time, exert greater influence in the United States soccer ecosystem.”
Widely considered one of the best coaches in the world, Pochettino took over at the USMNT in September 2024, focusing primarily on the team’s preparation for the 2026 World Cup.
With this new commitment, he and his coaching staff will also advise and support US Soccer in the comprehensive development of the national team structure, youth soccer, coach training, collaboration with professional leagues and other technical aspects within the soccer community.
“Mauricio and his team believe in the future of soccer in the United States, and our new project allows us to build on the progress of the USMNT and the momentum of US Soccer,” said JT Batson, CEO and General Secretary of US Soccer.
“We know we have a lot of work ahead of us to achieve our clear ambitions, which include competing to win men’s World Cups and making football the most played sport in all communities. “I am extremely excited that Mauricio and his team have committed to collaborating with all of us to do the hard work necessary to make those aspirations a reality.”
There is enormous potential
“After working alongside US Soccer for the past two years, it has become clear to us that there is enormous potential to further strengthen the Men’s National Team program,” said Pochettino, the 54-year-old strategist.
«The passion we experienced from the fans throughout the World Cup only reinforced our conviction about what is possible to achieve here. We are excited about the opportunity to bring all of our experience and knowledge to more areas of US Soccer, while helping to solidify development pathways for players, coaches and teams across the Federation. “We want to make a lasting impact on sport within the country that has welcomed us so warmly, and we seek to make this impact transcend the results on the field of play.”
In his first full cycle at the head of the national team, Pochettino will have the opportunity to evaluate and strengthen the squad of players through numerous official competitions.
Prior to the 2030 FIFA World Cup qualification process, the US team will compete in the Concacaf Nations League and the Concacaf Gold Cup in both their 2027 and 2029 editions.
The coaching staff’s influence will extend to all men’s national team programs, with major youth tournaments on the horizon, including the FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups, as well as the 2028 Olympic Games, which will be held in Los Angeles, United States.
“Mauricio has built a culture in which the players trust the group, the process and each other,” said US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone.
«We saw the impact of that conviction in the way the team grew, competed and performed on the world’s biggest stage. That culture, and the coaching staff that helped build it, are precisely what we want to continue investing in for the Men’s National Team, both now and in the future.
“We are also excited about the experience and perspective that Mauricio and his team can bring to US Soccer as we strengthen our development pathways and seek to influence the overall soccer landscape in the United States.”
It should be noted that in total, 62 players have made their debut for the national team under Pochettino since October 2024, coming from 16 different leagues in 12 different countries. Regarding the scoring aspect, a total of 23 different players have scored at least one of the 53 goals scored during his management.
