US men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino and the US Soccer Federation have finalized a contract extension keeping Pochettino with the program through 2030, as announced by US Soccer on Monday.

The two sides had pursued extension talks for months, well ahead of the USMNT’s last-16 departure from this summer’s World Cup, with the federation signaling its strong preference to retain him. Discussions intensified after the tournament, and reports indicated the parties were nearing agreement. Exact financial terms remain private, though Pochettino is set to receive an increase beyond the $6m annual salary from his prior contract, already the highest for any US head coach.

Reports confirm that hedge fund manager Ken Griffin, who supported the initial deal, will again serve as the main backer for the extension. Sources describe Pochettino’s position as an expanded one, with primary duties centered on the senior team while also providing guidance on youth development, coaching education, league partnerships and other technical areas.

“It has become clear to us that there is tremendous potential to make the men’s national team program even stronger,” Pochettino said in the announcement. “The passion we experienced from the fans throughout the World Cup only strengthened our belief in what is possible here. We are excited by the opportunity to bring all our experience and knowledge to even more areas of U.S. Soccer while helping strengthen the pathways for players, coaches and teams across the Federation.”

Under Pochettino the US opened the World Cup with a strong showing, highlighted by a dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay in the group stage. Solid results against Australia and Bosnia and Herzegovina set up a last-16 matchup with Belgium, where the team was outplayed and eliminated, drawing criticism toward the coach and players alike.

Pochettino remains popular among players and staff for shifting the group’s mindset. He had public disagreements with certain players, including Christian Pulisic, and faced media scrutiny over several exchanges with reporters during his time in charge.

Following the Belgium defeat, Pochettino voiced pride in the work completed over roughly 20 months, noting the period allowed evaluation of the squad and establishment of new standards, though a full cycle typically spans four years.

“With good things and not so good things,” Pochettino told the Guardian after the Belgium loss, “it was amazing, this journey. It still hasn’t been two years working here. And we all know that a process is about a four-year cycle. Today I think we closed the chapter about assessing players, playing in that competition that is so difficult. I think now we have a complete assessment from a lot of players, and if we commit to be here in the future, we have a clear idea of our decisions for the future – before, it was very difficult.”

During his US tenure Pochettino compiled an 18-12-1 record. Early setbacks included a fourth-place Nations League finish and a Gold Cup final loss to Mexico, offset by the strong World Cup start and a 5-1 friendly win over Uruguay.

Still, Pochettino was brought in chiefly to guide the US beyond the last 16 at a home World Cup. That target went unmet, yet the federation has now granted him another opportunity to achieve it in 2030.