Pochettino Set to Exit U.S. Soccer Before Nations League Final

Mauricio Pochettino will step down as head coach of the United States men's national team after two more games. His final match comes Saturday at Nu Stadium in Miami, Florida, where the U.S. faces Haiti in the Concacaf Nations League final.

The departure leaves the U.S. without a permanent manager for a second straight tournament in which it failed to win a regional title. Pochettino recorded 1.91 points per game during his tenure. That figure ranks third among any manager who has overseen more than 10 U.S. matches. Only Bruce Arena and Gregg Berhalter have better records in that category.

U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson addressed the transition on Friday. Batson described the position as one of the great coaching jobs in the world. He cited the experienced senior squad and the dynamic pool of young players as key assets. Batson said the organization aims to win major tournaments, including World Cups. He noted that Pochettino, his staff, and most of the men's team watched the U.S. U-20s play at the national training center the previous night.

The U.S. team exited the 2026 World Cup in the round of 16. That is the same stage where the squad fell in 2022. The timing of Pochettino's exit creates a gap in leadership just as the program prepares for the 2028 Olympics. A new training facility now allows youth and senior sides to train in the same location. Improvements in U.S. youth development through MLS Next and MLS Next Pro have also strengthened the pipeline.

U.S. Soccer is currently in talks to hire a director of soccer. This new role would work with the incoming head coach, women's national team coach Emma Hayes, and other staff to shape the vision of American soccer. The organization is also considering candidates for the head coaching position. BJ Callaghan is viewed as a strong domestic fit, while international names like Pep Guardiola are seen as potential targets.

Player Folarin Balogun commented on the immediate impact of Pochettino's leadership. Balogun said the manager raised the standard of the team. He pointed to the increased intensity of training and the approach to matches as evidence of this change. Balogun noted that Pochettino treated certain friendly matches as official games to maintain a competitive mindset.

"He's laid the foundation, and I think we, as players, have that ownership to not just do that because Poch was in charge; I think we have the ownership as players to carry that out because we know the standard," Balogun said. He added that the players believe the U.S. will replace Pochettino with another top coach.

Steve Cherundolo will lead the team during the December camp. This interim arrangement provides time for U.S. Soccer to complete its hiring process for a permanent head coach. The organization has demonstrated its ability to recruit a coach of Pochettino's caliber. The next step is to build a system that remains sustainable regardless of who holds the top coaching role.

The match against Haiti is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. The game will air on TNT and stream on HBO Max. Betting odds list Haiti at +750, a draw at +440, and the U.S. as favorites at -350.