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Mauricio Pochettino has extended his contract with the USA men’s national team (USMNT) until 2030, as he prepares to coach them at another World Cup.
Pochettino, who took charge in 2024, led USA to the last 16 of this summer’s World Cup, which played out on home soil as well as in Canada and Mexico.
All of USA’s games took place in the United States, in any case, with their campaign ending amid major controversy relating to their striker Folarin Balogun.
After topping their group with wins over Paraguay and Australia and a loss to Turkey, USA saw off Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the last 32. However, they were knocked out in the last 16 with a 4-1 humbling by Belgium, who mocked Donald Trump while celebrating their victory, after the US President made a call to Fifa chief Gianni Infantino to help delay Balogun’s ban by a year.
Balogun was controversially sent off in the win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the delay to his ban – allowing him to feature against Belgium, albeit in vain – was an unprecedented move. Infantino in particular drew major criticism for his role in the episode.
Yet USA is aiming to shrug off that saga and their elimination, extending Pochettino’s contract until 2030, to encompass a World Cup that will take place in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
“Working together with US 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,” said Pochettino. “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.
“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.”
JT Batson, the CEO and Secretary General of US Soccer, added: “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.
“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.”
Pochettino, 54, is a former Argentina international whose coaching career has taken him from Espanyol to the USMNT via Southampton, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
He left Chelsea after one season to join the USMNT in 2024, and he has been linked with a return to club management in the years since.