Mauricio Pochettino keeps US job through 2030 World Cup

Mauricio Pochettino will coach the US men’s soccer team through the 2030 FIFA World Cup after agreeing to a US Soccer extension.

The new agreement keeps the Argentine coach in place beyond the contract that ended after this summer’s World Cup. For US Soccer, it is a continuity play at the top of the men’s program, backed by private money and commercial support rather than standard federation funding alone.

Private money backs extension

US Soccer said Ken Griffin is covering a major portion of the extension through a gift to the federation. Griffin is the billionaire founder of Citadel, the Miami-based hedge fund, and was also part of the financial support behind Pochettino’s original hiring in 2024.

The federation said Scott Goodwin and Adam Freede are also contributing, alongside several commercial sponsors. Goodwin is co-founder of Diameter Capital Partners, while Freede is co-founder and CEO of MadaLuxe Group, the luxury brand portfolio.

US Soccer Chief Executive Officer JT Batson framed the deal as a shared project between the coach, the federation and its backers. “I couldn’t be more excited that Mauricio and team are committed to partnering with all of us,” Batson said in the federation’s statement.

Pay rise follows $20 million deal

Pochettino and his staff received higher compensation than under the previous contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who was not authorized to discuss the finances publicly. The federation did not disclose the extension’s financial terms.

The earlier two-year package cost around $20 million when staff pay and other expenses were included, according to the same account. Griffin and Goodwin were central to financing that 2024 appointment, which gave US Soccer access to a coach with a résumé built at major European clubs.

Pochettino arrived after spells at Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, bringing the federation a manager accustomed to elite dressing rooms and heavy tournament scrutiny. His first cycle ended with the US men’s team reaching the round of 16 this summer before a 4-1 defeat to Belgium.

Round of 16 sets benchmark

The timing gives both sides a clean reset after a completed tournament. US Soccer had made an offer before the World Cup began, but the initial agreement formally expired once the event was over.

Goodwin’s public endorsement after the tournament showed how strongly one key backer viewed the coaching decision. “I think he’s the best coach we’ve ever had for a men’s national team. I don’t think it’s close,” Goodwin said after this summer’s World Cup.

The extension changes the next cycle’s starting point. Instead of another search, US Soccer can keep Pochettino’s staff, methods and player evaluation process in place while preparing for 2030.

If that continuity produces a more settled squad, the direct gain is tactical and institutional: fewer resets, clearer selection standards and more time for players to work inside one system. If results do not match the investment, the scrutiny will fall on both the coach and the unusual donor-backed model funding the post.

For the wider US soccer market, the deal keeps a high-profile coach attached to the men’s national team as commercial interest in the sport continues to run through sponsors and private supporters. The next test is simple in sporting terms: Pochettino now has a full runway to turn backing, reputation and time into a deeper World Cup campaign.