The 2026 World Cup is going on right now, but offers have already been made to keep United States Men’s National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino around long after the tournament is done. According to a report by Adam Crafton of The Athletic, the U.S. Soccer Federation has extended an offer to keep Pochettino as the USMNT coach for the 2030 World Cup cycle.
According to the report, the contract extension was proposed prior to the start of the World Cup, with Pochettino waiting until after the World Cup is
done to make a formal decision. Pochettino led the team to win Group D at the 2026 World Cup and qualify for the knockout stage. They will face Bosnia & Herzegovina on July 1st in the Round of 32 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
Pochettino was hired in September 2024 to lead the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup, and his contract is set to expire after the tournament ends. He has been linked with several big clubs in Europe who have managerial vacancies, but there has always been a possibility that he could remain with the USMNT for a full cycle after coming in the middle of this current cycle following the firing of Gregg Berhalter.
Fans of the USMNT will likely be split over the idea of keeping Pochettino around for another World Cup cycle, as second terms for USMNT coaches have rarely worked out. The last four USMNT coaches to get a second cycle (Gregg Berhalter, Bruce Arena, Jurgen Klinsmann, and Bob Bradley) all had unsuccessful second terms, which is something that Pochettino would need to figure out how to break if he decides to renew his contract.
There is also the matter of the structure of U.S. Soccer’s sporting department, as they will seek a new head after Matt Crocker left the federation in April to take over as sporting director of Saudi Arabia. Usually, the sporting director hires the coach, but there is likely little interest in having another lost series of international windows with an interim coach when World Cup qualifying will start back up in Fall 2027.
The USMNT will continue their journey in the 2026 World Cup next week in Santa Clara with the Round of 32, and everyone at U.S. Soccer hopes that a decision on Pochettino’s future won’t have to be made for a few more weeks.
