A deal between U.S. Soccer and Mauricio Pochettino for the Argentine to continue as U.S. men’s national team head coach is “close” but not quite done, as talks between the two parties have continued and progressed, multiple sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.
Pochettino’s initial contract ran through the 2026 World Cup. Both sides have expressed interest in the partnership continuing, with an offer extended to Pochettino before the World Cup, though talks were tabled until after the U.S. run in the tournament ended.
Telemundo broadcaster Andres Cantor first reported Tuesday night that a renewal was close. The new proposed deal would be for four years through the 2030 World Cup, sources add. Financial terms and what remains unsorted amid the current discussions are not yet known.
Under Pochettino, the U.S. had a stellar group stage at the World Cup before being eliminated by Belgium in the round of 16 in a dispiriting 4-1 loss. The U.S. won multiple group games and secured first in the group after just two matches for the first time in program history and won its first knockout World Cup game since 2002 – albeit in a round that didn’t previously exist, thanks to the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams.
“Right now, it’s about resting a little bit, to think, have conversations with the federation to see what the decision is. I’m so happy,” Pochettino said in the postgame press conference following the loss to Belgium. “We’ve built a very good relationship.”
Pochettino had indicated in a Spanish radio interview on July 17 that a decision on his future would be coming “next week,” though that stated deadline has come and gone without finality. Regardless, it appears there is forward movement toward his return.
“From a men’s national team coaching standpoint, we’re in active discussions with Mauricio and staff about the future,” U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson said recently. “We all share a belief that the best days of U.S. Soccer are ahead of us, and they’re excited about the opportunity to impact soccer at all levels in every community.”
Batson added that Pochettino and his staff remained involved in the federation’s “long-term planning,” which included the recent hiring of former LAFC manager and U.S. men’s national team veteran Steve Cherundolo as coach of the men’s 2028 Olympic team.
Pochettino was named USMNT head coach in the fall of 2024 and took charge for his first games in October of that year. The lows, aside from the manner of the World Cup exit, included defeats to Panama and Canada in the March 2025 Concacaf Nations League final four and the program’s first four-game losing streak since 2007.
The highs, meanwhile, centered on a 5-1 friendly win over Uruguay in November 2025 to cap a five-game unbeaten run (4-0-1) and the riveting victories in the World Cup over Paraguay, Australia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
What a deal would mean
If this deal gets over the line, both U.S. Soccer and Pochettino will have some important questions to answer. The most important: How committed is Pochettino to a four-year cycle? He openly flirted with a Premier League return multiple times during his less-than-two-year tenure with the U.S. ahead of 2026 and even had talks with AC Milan right before the World Cup.
Is the contract sound enough to keep suitors away all the way through 2030? Would it be in the best interest of U.S. Soccer to hire a coach who leaves midway through the cycle?
On top of that, Pochettino’s incredibly high salary was justified in the last cycle by those who said a coach of his stature was needed to push U.S. Soccer to the next level. The Belgium loss, at a stage the U.S. has previously reached multiple times, certainly wouldn’t qualify as such.
At a time when U.S. Soccer is trying to fix youth development and the pay-to-play model, what’s the justification for an enormous salary for the coach of a men’s national team program that has so much under it that needs to be reformed before it can truly challenge at a World Cup?
Pochettino and his staff have said they’re committed to fixing those underlying problems. Presuming this deal gets done, it will be important to hear their plan — and their pledge to stay until 2030.
