US Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker is leaving his post with less than two months to go until the 2026 World Cup, the federation announced on Tuesday. The Guardian also confirmed Fox Sports’ earlier report that Crocker is set to take on a similar role with the Saudi Arabia football federation.
Crocker’s exit comes at a significant moment for US Soccer, which is preparing for a home World Cup and now has to adjust its leadership structure at a late stage in the build-up. The federation said his duties will be shared in the meantime by chief operating officer Dan Helfrich, assistant sporting director Oguchi Onyewu, women’s youth national team head of development Tracey Kevins, and what it described as the broader sporting leadership team.
Leadership change before a major tournament
Crocker has played a central role in the recent direction of the American program. He was the official who hired Emma Hayes as women’s national team head coach and Mauricio Pochettino as men’s national team head coach, two appointments that marked major moments in the federation’s planning.
His departure now leaves US Soccer to manage a transition just as attention intensifies around the 2026 tournament. With the World Cup closing in, the federation will need to maintain continuity across both the men’s and women’s sides while also preparing for the demands of hosting the event.
The announcement did not include details about the terms of Crocker’s move or a timeline for naming a permanent replacement. For now, the organization is relying on a shared leadership approach across several senior officials.
Saudi Arabia’s federation, meanwhile, is adding a senior international soccer executive to its structure. Crocker’s move follows a period in which the sport in the country has been taking on a larger global profile.
For US Soccer, the timing makes the change especially notable. Crocker’s exit arrives at a point when the organization would ordinarily want stability, rather than a reshuffling of responsibilities, in advance of one of the most important tournaments in its history.
The federation has not indicated any change to its broader World Cup planning, but the departure of a sporting director who helped shape key coaching decisions means the leadership team will now have to carry those responsibilities collectively as the event draws near.
