US Soccer says it will wait until after the World Cup before turning fully to Mauricio Pochettino’s future, leaving the US men’s national team in a familiar holding pattern as the tournament approaches its end.
On Thursday, chief executive JT Batson said the federation plans to “take a break after the World Cup and rest and recuperate” before having further discussions. Batson also said he was “excited about the discussions” ahead, and added that Pochettino and his staff have been active in long-term planning.
The timing matters because Pochettino’s contract ends when the tournament concludes. That means the USMNT is heading into a crucial stretch without a final answer on whether he will remain in charge beyond the World Cup.
The situation is even more complicated because the sporting director role is still open. Matt Crocker resigned in April to take a similar position with Saudi Arabia, leaving US Soccer without a permanent replacement in one of its top soccer leadership jobs.
Leadership structure remains in flux
Batson’s comments suggest the federation is not in a rush to force a decision before it has finished the World Cup cycle. He said Pochettino and his staff were active in discussions around future planning, including conversations with Steve Cherundolo about the U-23 role.
That is a sign that planning is still moving forward, even if the final decision on Pochettino has been delayed. The practical issue for US Soccer is clear: it needs to sort out both the head coach question and the sporting director vacancy.
Dan Helfrich added on Thursday that the organization expects “a little more clarity on structure” in the months to come. He also pointed to the people already involved in those talks, including Oguchi Onyewu, Barry Pauwels, Tracey Kevins and Emma Hayes.
Helfrich said the federation feels confident it has a strong group in place, with expertise coming from inside the American system and from other parts of the world. That broad input may help steady the process, but it does not change the immediate reality: the USMNT’s post-World Cup direction is still unresolved.
For now, the message from US Soccer is patience. The World Cup will finish first. The conversations about Mauricio Pochettino’s future will come after.
