US Soccer offers contract renewal to Mauricio Pochettino through 2030 World Cup

Mauricio Pochettino has led the US to a group-topping performance at the World Cup so far. Photograph: Ringo Chiu/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock The US Soccer Federation has offered US men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino a contract extension that would keep him in charge of the team through the 2030 World Cup, multiple sources familiar with the offer said on Friday. Sources spoke with the Guardian on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter. Related: Pochettino chides press for questions after 3-2 loss to Turkey: ‘We won the group’ Pochettino and the federation have been discussing a new deal for about three months, said one source. Pochettino, along with US Soccer CEO JT Batson, have both spoken publicly about contract negotiations as recently as late May, around the time that Pochettino was reported to have had talks with Serie A side Milan. Pochettino was coy when pressed about that particular advance, but Batson spoke openly about it, saying that the federation had received many inquiries in regards to Pochettino’s services. “[Pochettino], and the entire team, has been incredibly transparent [through] the entire process,” Batson said in May. “He had standing offers from other places to come (when we hired him initially), and he wanted to be here. He’s a big believer in what we’re doing at US Soccer. He’s a big believer in soccer in America, and he’s a big believer in this men’s team.” Neither Pochettino or the federation have any plans to make a decision on the offer until the completion of the World Cup. The most recent, publicly-available data available on the Argentine’s salary places him amongst global football’s top coaching earners, at $4m a year, a figure that grows significantly via a bonus structure. The Athletic were first to report news of the contract offer. Related: US players insist momentum remains with them despite late loss to Turkey The former Tottenham Hotspur head coach’s 22-month tenure as the US head coach has been a mixed bag, but his his team’s performance at the 2026 World Cup has been beyond argument. The 54-year-old has led the US to their best-ever showing in the group stage of a World Cup, having beaten Australia and Paraguay handily to wrap up top spot in the group before losing a competitive match to already-eliminated Turkey. A round of 32 matchup against Bosnia and Herzegovina awaits and, should they advance, a win in the round of 16 would open the door to Pochettino leading the US to their best overall finish in the modern era. Fans and pundits have long assumed that Pochettino, who had never coached internationally prior to his current appointment, would depart the team after the World Cup, though Pochettino has said in recent months that he is open to extending his contract. “We told the federation we are open,” Pochettino said in a media roundtable this week. “But we don’t want to distract when all the energy needs to be with my players .. If the American people start to show passion in our sport too, why not be here being part of something that can create a legacy? For me, the most important legacy is the connection between the national team and the fans.” The federation has shown renewed ambition in recent years, having hired Pochettino and recently having opened a massive, $250m training facility in suburban Atlanta, Georgia. The US U-23 men’s team will feature in the summer Olympics in 2028, which will be played in the United States, and a handful of other important competitions as they cast their view towards the 2030 World Cup.