NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Matt Crocker quit as sporting director of the U.S. Soccer Federation on Tuesday, just two months ahead of the , to take a new job in Saudi Arabia.
The USSF said Crocker was leaving to pursue an unidentified international soccer opportunity, and a person familiar with the decision, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because Crocker’s new job was not announced, said he will work in Saudi Arabia. His hiring by Saudis was first reported by Fox.
Crocker’s departure was a surprise, given the U.S. is co-host of the World Cup starting June 11 and the ends after the tournament. The USSF next month will open its 200-acre, 17-field training center and office complex in Fayetteville, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb.
Former U.S. defender Alexi Lalas, now Fox’s lead soccer analyst, called Crocker’s departure 鈥渁n own goal” for the USSF.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a strange and negative message to be sending out to America and the soccer community 59 days or whatever it is before we play,” Lalas said. 鈥淥bviously Matt Crocker is not going to kick a soccer ball this summer for the United States or for Saudi Arabia, but he is the architect of what we are going to see this summer, and at a time where there is I think fair criticism and concern relative to this team, it鈥檚 just an unnecessary message to be sending out. A sporting director is kind of like a general manager. For a general manager to leave right before the most important moment would be strange in any sport.”
USSF President Cindy Parlow Cone did not respond to a request for comment.
鈥淭his is one that makes zero sense. Why now?” said former American goalkeeper Kasey Keller, now an ESPN analyst. “Saudi Arabia isn鈥檛 changing anything that a sport director is going to do for the World Cup. You could bring somebody in and say: OK, we want this long plan now for the next four, six, eight years, but that can wait ’till July. It truly is really, really strange.鈥�
Dan Helfrich, hired as the U.S. federation’s chief operating officer in November, 鈥渨ill provide executive oversight and support across the federation鈥檚 sporting operations,鈥� the USSF said in a statement. Helfrich will work with assistant sporting director Oguchi Onyewu 鈥� a former national team defender 鈥� and Tracey Kevins, head of development for the women鈥檚 youth national team.
Crocker, a 51-year-old Welshman, was after serving as Southampton’s director of football since February 2020.
Crocker oversaw the decisions to as men’s coach in June 2023, to in July 2024 after first-round elimination at the Copa America and to
He also made the recommendation to as women’s national team coach starting in the spring of 2024. Hayes led the women’s team to the Olympic gold medal.
___
AP soccer:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
