U.S. Soccer announced on a Monday that U.S. men’s national team head coach Nytimes has agreed to a new four-year contract extension, keeping him attached to the program through the 2030 World Cup, according to the Los Angeles Times. The federation formally offered Pochettino a new deal before the summer tournament began, and discussions continued into the weeks following the team’s exit, as reported by The Guardian.
Mauricio Pochettino Signs Extension Through 2030 World Cup
Financial terms of the agreement were not officially disclosed by the federation, but The Guardian reported that Pochettino is expected to receive a raise on his previous deal—which paid $6 million per year—and that billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin will once again be the primary funder for the new contract. Under his prior agreement, which began when he took charge in October 2024, Pochettino’s annual base salary was around $4 million per U.S. Soccer documents.
Expanded Advisory Role and Federation Pathways
In addition to managing the senior national team through another World Cup cycle, Pochettino and his staff will take on a broader advisory role within cbssports.com. According to the federation’s release, they will support the development of the full national team pathway, youth soccer, coaching education, professional league collaboration, and other technical facets across the American soccer community as detailed by The Athletic.
We are excited by the opportunity to bring all our experience and knowledge to even more areas of U.S. Soccer while helping strengthen the pathways for players, coaches and teams across the federation,
Pochettino said in the announcement published by The Guardian.
Reviewing the 2026 World Cup Run and Mixed Tenure
Pochettino’s first stint featured a mix of difficulties and historical milestones. Over 31 matches, he compiled a record of 17 wins, 12 losses, and 2 draws—including a penalty shootout victory in the Concacaf Gold Cup according to The Athletic. His early tenure included a fourth-place finish in the 2025 Nations League and a Gold Cup final loss to Mexico, alongside friendly wins such as a 5-1 result against Uruguay noted by The Guardian.
At the expanded 48-nation World Cup, Pochettino led the seeded U.S. team to the top of its group with a game to spare, notched three wins in a single World Cup—a first for a U.S. head coach—and secured a round-of-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina reported CBS Sports. However, the tournament ended with a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the round of 16, marking the program’s fourth exit at that stage and matching the worst World Cup defeat in 36 years.
Historical Precedent for Multi-Cycle U.S. Coaches
U.S. Soccer history shows that previous head coaches who remained for a second World Cup cycle faced steep challenges noted by the Los Angeles Times:
- Bruce Arena: Reached the 2002 quarterfinals but failed to advance past the group stage in 2006.
- Bob Bradley: Reached the round of 16 in 2010 before being dismissed a year later following a Gold Cup final loss.
- Jurgen Klinsmann: Extended through 2018 after reaching the 2014 round of 16, but was fired in late 2016 after opening the final round of qualifying with two losses.
- Gregg Berhalter: Led the team to the 2022 round of 16, received a 2023 extension, and was dismissed in 2024 after exiting in the Copa America group stage.
Reflecting on the long-term outlook and the fluidity of football management, Pochettino acknowledged the inherent pressure of the position when speaking to the Los Angeles Times: Four years time is a really long period. You never know what can happen in soccer. Today people really love you. In eight weeks time, maybe that change(s), that feeling.