The United States Soccer Federation is inching closer to officially hiring Mauricio Pochettino to coach the men’s national team.
More than three weeks after the British press reported that Pochettino had agreed to take over the USMNT ahead of the 2026 World Cup co-hosted on American soil, the deal for the former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham manager appears close to crossing the finish line, multiple sources told FOX Sports.
Several reports last week said that US soccer officials had flown to Spain to finalize Pochettino’s contract and formally announce the appointment. That trip was canceled at the 11th hour, multiple sources said, without providing further details.
But while the deal isn’t done yet, it’s expected to be completed in the coming days, sources said. Pochettino’s contract has to be approved when U.S. Soccer’s board of directors meets to vote on it. While essentially a rubber stamp, that formality had not occurred as of Saturday morning.
It’s expected to in the days to come, though, meaning that whatever financial distance remained between the USSF and Chelsea has now finally evaporated. The 52-year-old Argentine was still under contract with the Blues until 2025 after parting ways with the English Premier League last spring, so the two sides had to come to terms on an agreement. With the biggest remaining hurdle delaying the hiring now apparently overcome, the official announcement could come before the USMNT, under interim coach Mikey Varas, takes on New Zealand in a friendly match on Tuesday in Cincinnati.
The Americans meet Canada on Saturday in the first of its two September exhibitions. Pochettino’s first game at the helm of the USMNT would likely be an Oct. 12 friendly against Panama in Austin, Texas.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports. He was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports before joining FOX Sports in 2021, and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.
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