Excitement has begun to build amongst U.S. Soccer fans as the USMNT coaching search appears to be nearing an emphatic conclusion.
Following a month-long wait for his contract to be signed, former Chelsea and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has been named as the next USMNT head coach, set to lead the 2026 FIFA World Cup host nation into the monumental competition looming on the horizon.
Following the departure of Gregg Berhalter in the aftermath of the 2024 Copa America disappointment, U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker has been on the lookout for the best fit to lead the men’s soccer team toward the landmark competition on home soil in two years. He has appeared to land on a former associate of his from years ago who secures his first national team job but boasts great experience on the club side.
It appeared there was a slight hangup with finalizing his contract, and it involves a fellow American billionaire whose club reportedly held up the process with another twist in his mercurial Premier League ownership.
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Mauricio Pochettino USMNT contract, salary details
While the signing of new head coach Mauricio Pochettino had been widely reported for weeks, it was finally announced by U.S. Soccer on September 10. In the lead-up to the friendly against New Zealand.
Very little is known at this point about Pochettino’s contract with U.S. Soccer, including length or value of the deal. The only hint given in the official announcement was that he would “lead the team into the FIFA World Cup 2026 on home soil.” That seems to suggest that he has at least signed through the end of the 2026 tournament, as expected, but even that language is open to interpretation.
One interesting tidbit was dropped in the official announcement, however.
“Pochettino’s appointment is supported in significant part by a philanthropic leadership gift from Kenneth C. Griffin, Founder and CEO of Citadel and Founder of Griffin Catalyst,” the statement read. “Additional support has been provided by Scott Goodwin, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Diameter, and several commercial partners.”
That seems to suggest that U.S. Soccer received significant financial assistance from boosters to help generate the funds required to sign a coach of Pochettino’s caliber.
This isn’t surprising — Canada, who are under serious financial restrictions, did the same thing to hire Jesse Marsch. Inter Miami, similarly, got significant financial assistance from MLS and club sponsors to sign Lionel Messi within league roster restrictions.
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How unresolved situation with Chelsea impacted Mauricio Pochettino USMNT contract
According to Mark Ogden of ESPN, one reason that the deal for Pochettino took so long to be announced is that there are still significant hoops to jump through before a contract can be signed and sealed.
Pochettino was dismissed from his last position, surprisingly let go by Chelsea and part-owner Todd Boehly at the end of the last Premier League season. The club shocked many supporters and journalists by cutting Pochettino loose just as his extremely young squad appeared to be finally grasping his tactical approach after a rocky first season in charge. Boehly, an American who is also the majority owner of MLB franchise the Los Angeles Dodgers, is thought to have taken a back seat from day-to-day operations at Chelsea but would likely have remained involved in major decisions and negotiations such as those involving the employment of the manager.
Ogden reported that Pochettino’s “situation with Chelsea remains unresolved” because Chelsea still owes him money as part of his departure from the Premier League club. The ESPN report claims that “until a resolution is found, he cannot sign a contract to take over the USMNT.”
When coaches in most major sports are let go for sporting reasons, the team is still contractually obligated to pay out the value of their contract. Often, the two parties come to some kind of middle ground agreement that allows the coach to depart immediately and find work elsewhere, with stipulations, while the team negotiates their financial obligations.
We can speculate, therefore, that it’s likely that U.S. Soccer and Chelsea were left to haggle over who will pay what part of his Chelsea buyout. The Premier League club would have been contractually obligated to do so, but may have strongarmed U.S. Soccer into paying part of their obligation to keep from drawing out the situation further.
One thing we do know is that signing his U.S. contract did not require the United States to compensate Chelsea in any way. According to WorldSoccerTalk, Chelsea was in line to profit significantly, to the tune of $6.4 million, if Pochettino joined another Premier League club within six months of his Blues exit, but the report also claimed he could join a national team federation without such a fee.
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When will Mauricio Pochettino start as USMNT coach?
Following the resolution of the aforementioned contractual limbo both Pochettino and U.S. Soccer found themselves in, the Argentine will now get to work.
It was initially thought that Pochettino would be installed in time to coach the USMNT for the pair of September friendlies against Canada and New Zealand, but that did not come to pass.
Instead, Pochettino will begin coaching the team in the two October friendlies against Panama and Mexico, with his official debut coming on October 12 in Austin, TX.