Pochettino extends USMNT contract to lead USA through 2030 World Cup

Mauricio Pochettino will continue as head coach of the United States men’s national team after signing a contract extension through the 2030 World Cup, U.S. Soccer announced on Monday.

The 54-year-old Argentine, who took charge in the autumn of 2024, guided the co-hosts to the round of 16 at the 2026 tournament before a 4-1 defeat to Belgium ended their run. Despite that exit, the federation moved to retain him even before the competition began — a gesture Pochettino cited as central to his decision to stay.

“They really believed in us before the start of the World Cup,” Pochettino told a small group of national reporters from his home in Barcelona ahead of the announcement. “That is important, that they saw the value in us, and then because I really believe that this is an exciting situation and moment for soccer in the USA.”

The U.S. had shown genuine promise during the group stage, winning their pool with victories over Paraguay and Australia. A last-second loss to Türkiye threatened to derail momentum, but the team recovered with a round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina before Belgium proved a step too far.

With the extension confirmed, Pochettino’s immediate targets will include the 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup and potentially the 2028 Copa América, which could again be hosted in the United States. The 2030 World Cup, to be primarily staged across Portugal, Spain and Morocco, represents the headline objective — and unlike in 2026, the USA will need to qualify.

Squad renewal will be a priority. “We have the experience and the knowledge about all the players that were working with us,” Pochettino said. “I think it’s so exciting to see not only the players that we already worked with, but also for the players that we’ll give the possibility to perform and to be part of the next process.”

Pochettino arrives at this new chapter with a substantial European pedigree. He took Tottenham Hotspur to the 2019 Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool, and subsequently managed Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. As a player, he represented Argentina at the 2002 World Cup and featured for clubs including PSG and Espanyol — a side he would later manage.