The decision comes just months before the United States hosts the World Cup, and U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker will make an immediate move to Saudi Arabia, leaving three top executives to navigate the federation’s transition. Yankee Scores reports ….
Matt Crocker is set to quit as sporting director of U.S. Soccer immediately to join Saudi Arabia in the same capacity, sources say.
The Interim Era: Onyewu and Helfrich Take the Reins
Oguchi Onyewu (assistant sporting director), Tracey Kevins (head of women’s development), and Dan Helfrich (COO) will assume the duties currently carried out by Crocker ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico this summer.
A Legacy of Big Names: The Hayes and Pochettino Era
Crocker joined the soccer federation from Southampton in 2023. In nearly three years of his tenure as the federation’s sporting director, he has helped bring in Emma Hayes as the women’s national team coach, while he appointed Mauricio Pochettino as the men’s coach.
“I anticipate zero impact on World Cup preparation as a result of Matt’s decision,” Helfrich said Monday in an exclusive interview. “Mauricio and his staff have full control of the preparations for this summer’s tournament, and we have full confidence in them. This transition in no way impacts those plans, which have been long-established.”
Under Hayes, the women’s team clinched its fifth Olympic gold medal in Paris just six months ago. Meanwhile, Pochettino, one of the most renowned managers around the world following his spell at Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, was hired by U.S. Soccer in September 2024.
“I anticipate we will look both domestically and globally in that process,” he said. Former USA defender Onyewu, who represented the Stars and Stripes at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups was a candidate for the job that ultimately went to Crocker three years ago.
World Cup Readiness: Zero Impact on 2026 Preparations
The men’s team kicks off their World Cup campaign with a match against Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12.
Crocker signed in April 2023 when Earnie Stewart resigned from his post to become the manager of Dutch side PSV Eindhoven. The Welshman was based in Cardiff then.
