Austin FC Wiretap

Austin FC announced Monday that Jim Curtin will become the club's next head coach at the conclusion of the 2026 MLS season. Interim manager Davy Arnaud will guide the team through the remainder of the current campaign while the club's search for a new sporting director continues.

Curtin, 46, joins Austin following an 11-season tenure with the Philadelphia Union that produced a 170-90-134 record across all competitions. He won the Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year award twice, in 2020 and 2022, led Philadelphia to the 2020 Supporters' Shield and guided the club to the 2022 MLS Cup final. The Union reached the playoffs seven times under his leadership.

"Jim Curtin is one of the premier coaches in North American soccer, and we are exceptionally proud and incredibly excited that he has chosen Austin FC to continue his impressive journey," said Austin founder, CEO and majority owner Anthony Precourt.

Curtin parted ways with Philadelphia after the 2024 season and had been without a club before agreeing to terms with Austin. He becomes the third permanent head coach in club history, following Josh Wolff and Nico Estevez, who departed in May.

"I had several other opportunities, both within MLS and abroad, but none of them excited me the way this project did," said Curtin. "From our very first conversation, they shared a vision for Austin FC that is bold, ambitious, and built for the long term. Their belief in what this club can become is contagious, and I'm proud to help bring that vision to life."

Curtin will inherit a squad built around designated players Brandon Vazquez and Facundo Torres, club-record signing Myrto Uzuni, veteran goalkeeper Brad Stuver, homegrown midfielder Owen Wolff and Canadian international Jayden Nelson.

Austin currently sit 14th in the Western Conference with 14 points through 15 matches at the FIFA World Cup break.

Austin FC fired head coach Nico Estevez and sporting director Rodolfo Borrell on Monday following a troubled start to the MLS season. Assistant coach Davy Arnaud was named interim head coach. The club has retained Excel Sports Management to lead the search for a new sporting director.

Austin holds 14 points after 14 matches and dropped a result to last-place Sporting Kansas City this weekend, which prompted the front office to act. Austin had a 1-0 lead against Kansas City before giving up two quick second half goals and were fortunate not to yield several more. Last Wednesday, Austin lost at San Diego by a 5-0 margin.

"We believe this team can compete for a playoff position, and given our results thus far, a change is necessary to achieve our goals of qualifying for the playoffs this year and becoming a consistent winner in this league," majority owner Anthony Precourt said in a club statement.

Estevez was appointed ahead of the 2025 season after a brief stint as head coach at FC Dallas. He previously served as an assistant with the U.S. men's national team under both Gregg Berhalter and Mauricio Pochettino. Austin reached the playoffs and the U.S. Open Cup final last season but has made the postseason just once in the past three years.

Borrell, sporting director since the summer of 2023, dismissed former head coach Josh Wolff in 2024 before bringing in Estevez. His tenure was marked by uneven roster construction. Designated player signings Osman Bukari and Myrto Uzuni failed to justify their price tags, while Brandon Vazquez missed the better part of a season with a torn ACL.

"We are grateful to Rodo for his tireless dedication to improving the club," Precourt said. "Ultimately, we believe this decision is in the best interest of Austin FC."

Austin has one match remaining before MLS pauses six weeks for the World Cup. The dismissals mark the fifth head coaching change in MLS this season, following Orlando City, CF Montreal, Inter Miami and the Columbus Crew.

Inter Miami lead MLS in total guaranteed team compensation at $54.57 million, a new league record that surpasses the club's own benchmark set at this point last season by $7.7 million, according to figures released by the MLS Players Association.

Miami's payroll exceeds double the total of all but two other clubs. LAFC rank second at $32.65 million, followed by Atlanta United at $27.88 million, the LA Galaxy at $26.43 million and the Vancouver Whitecaps at $24.56 million. The Whitecaps are currently listed for sale and facing possible relocation.

At the other end of the spectrum, reigning Supporters' Shield holders Philadelphia Union are the league's most frugal spenders at $11.70 million, demonstrating that roster investment and on-field results do not always align in MLS.

Total Guaranteed Compensation By MLS Team

1. Inter Miami: $54.57 million
2. LAFC: $32.65 million
3. Atlanta United: $27.88 million
4. LA Galaxy: $26.43 million
5. Vancouver Whitecaps: $24.56 million
6. San Diego FC: $24.39 million
7. FC Cincinnati: $23.47 million
8. Nashville SC: $22.99 million
9. Columbus Crew: $22.34 million
10. Chicago Fire: $21.73 million
11. New York Red Bulls: $21.65 million
12. New York City FC: $21.54 million
13. Charlotte FC: $21.46 million
14. Toronto FC: $21.39 million
15. Houston Dynamo: $20.91 million
16. Austin FC: $19.89 million
17. New England Revolution: $19.41 million
18. Seattle Sounders: $19.09 million
19. St. Louis City: $18.81 million
20. Portland Timbers: $18.45 million
21. San Jose Earthquakes: $15.83 million
22. Minnesota United: $15.55 million
23. Real Salt Lake: $15.29 million
24. D.C. United: $14.55 million
25. FC Dallas: $14.54 million
26. Colorado Rapids: $14.13 million
27. Orlando City: $13.73 million
28. CF Montreal: $13.42 million
29. Sporting Kansas City: $12.36 million
30. Philadelphia Union: $11.70 million

Lionel Messi marked the opening of Inter Miami's Nu Stadium Saturday with a header in the 10th minute, though the Herons could not hold on, drawing 2-2 against Austin FC in South Florida.

Austin's Guilherme Biro headed in a corner kick in the sixth minute to spoil the occasion before Messi responded four minutes later. The Argentine timed a late run through the box to meet Ian Fray's right-side cross — his fifth MLS goal in six matches this season.

Co-owner David Beckham addressed fans from the field before kickoff, praising the club's Argentine star as the "best player in the history of the game playing in Miami."

Messi's turnover in the 53rd minute proved costly. Joseph Rosales dispossessed him and played forward to Myrto Uzuni, whose early cross found Jayden Nelson unmarked to beat goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair and put Austin ahead 2-1.

Substitute Luis Suarez leveled in the 82nd minute, volleying home from the goalmouth after a flicked-on corner. Messi and Suarez nearly combined for a winner moments later, a 90th-minute Messi free kick struck the crossbar, and Suarez converted the rebound, only to be ruled offside.

Nu Stadium also unveiled a dedicated section on its east side named the "Leo Messi Stand." Fans gathered in the area for photos hours before kickoff.

Major League Soccer's pending calendar shift to a European-style schedule is being viewed inside the league as more than a structural change. Sporting executives say the move could finally position MLS to capitalize on television revenue in a meaningful way.

"For so long, MLS has just been a gameday experience type of league," one chief soccer officer told The Athletic. "Media rights are where the money is, and hopefully that's what happens. We're putting the playoffs in a part of the calendar that has a lot less high-level competition, and it is hopefully going to get a boost to the TV money overall."

Beginning in July 2027, MLS will align its schedule with European leagues, syncing transfer windows and creating postseason slots that avoid direct competition with other major sports properties.

Sporting directors pointed to several additional benefits from the alignment. Synchronized transfer windows would open access to the European player market, increase loan possibilities from top clubs and raise the transfer value of outgoing MLS players.

Cold weather concerns drew acknowledgment as a genuine challenge. "You're going to have a lot of unwatchable games," one executive conceded, while maintaining the long-term benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Despite near-unanimous support for the direction, some executives urged faster action. "There's so much opportunity to improve this league faster than we do," one sporting director said. "It feels like at least we're having the right conversations that we probably haven't had in a number of years."

Inter Miami leads Major League Soccer franchise valuations at $1.45 billion, up 22% from last year, as the league prepares for transformational changes ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The average MLS team is worth $767 million, according to Sportico, representing a 6% increase from 2024. However, gains remain concentrated among top clubs, with the bottom 12 franchises rising just 2% on average.

LAFC ranks second at $1.4 billion, up 9%, followed by LA Galaxy ($1.17 billion), Atlanta United ($1.14 billion) and New York City FC ($1.12 billion). Three teams declined in value: San Jose Earthquakes, Vancouver Whitecaps and CF Montreal.

The 30 MLS franchises are collectively worth $23 billion, including real estate and team-related businesses. MLS teams generated an estimated $2.5 billion last season, averaging $83 million per club from game days, sponsorships and non-MLS events.

Inter Miami's local revenues surpassed $200 million, boosted by Lionel Messi's impact and the franchise's first MLS Cup title. A record seven teams exceeded $100 million in revenue, up from four in 2024, while several clubs including Vancouver, Montreal and Colorado generated only $35 million to $40 million.

The financial disparity has grown more pronounced than other major leagues. Inter Miami ($1.45 billion) is worth 3.4 times more than Montreal ($430 million), compared to gaps of 2.8 in the NBA and 2.3 in the NFL.

MLS faces limited national media revenue compared to other leagues. Teams currently receive approximately $5 million annually from the Apple deal after production costs, while NHL clubs average $40 million from television agreements.

The league will shift to a FIFA-aligned calendar starting summer 2027, moving the MLS Cup playoffs from fall to May to avoid competing with football season.

Austin FC acquired winger Facundo Torres from Brazilian Serie A side Palmeiras, the club announced. The 25-year-old Uruguay international signed through the 2029-30 season with an option for 2030-31 in a reported $9.5 million transfer.

Torres returns to MLS after a brief stint with Palmeiras following his December 2024 departure from Orlando City. The former Orlando standout produced 10 goals and six assists in 61 appearances for the Brazilian club.

The Uruguayan will occupy a Designated Player roster spot alongside attackers Brandon Vazquez and Myrto Uzuni. Torres holds a U.S. Green Card, allowing him to avoid consuming an international roster spot on Austin's roster.

"Facundo has proven attacking quality as shown by his stellar goal and assist numbers throughout his career," said Austin FC sporting director Rodolfo Borrell. "He is at a prime age to join us and immediately be a top contributor as we aim to push on this season."

Torres became Orlando City's all-time leading scorer with 47 goals and 25 assists in 123 matches across all competitions. He led the Lions to the 2022 US Open Cup title and helped Orlando reach the 2024 Eastern Conference Final.

Orlando received a club-record outbound fee of approximately $14 million when they sold Torres to Palmeiras. The transfer represented the largest sale in franchise history for the Florida-based club.

A product of Uruguayan powerhouse Penarol, Torres has earned 22 caps and scored two goals for Los Charruas. He participated in Uruguay's successful qualifying campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"I couldn't be happier to be an Austin FC player," Torres said. "The ambition behind what the club is building and the incredible soccer community there were both big factors in convincing me that this was the right move."

FirstTracks Sports Ventures, managed by Jon-Erik Borgen and part of the ownership group behind NWSL expansion side Denver Summit, has completed its investment in Austin FC at an enterprise value of $912 million. The investment closed earlier this month as part of a broader ownership restructuring that brought multiple new backers to the MLS club.

The Borgen family joins investors Jenny Just and Matt Hulsizer, co-founders of PEAK6 Investments; billionaire Nvidia board member Tench Coxe; Magnetar Capital managing partner Dave Snyderman; and Tanuj Gulati, co-founder and former CTO of Securonix. All seven of Austin FC's prior backers remain owners in some capacity, according to Sportico.

Anthony Precourt remains the club's majority shareholder and primary governor. Hulsizer serves as the team's alternate governor following the ownership changes announced in July.

Multiple sources familiar with the matter confirmed the $912 million enterprise value, which includes team equity plus debt. The specific breakdown of equity sold and to whom remains unclear as the details are private.

A club representative confirmed the FirstTracks Sports investment but declined to comment on terms. The investment group includes Jon-Erik Borgen's siblings Kaia and Randi Borgen through the Borgen Investment Group.

The $912 million enterprise value exceeds Sportico's $865 million control stake valuation for Austin FC, ranking sixth in MLS. The club generated an estimated $96 million in revenue during 2024, fifth-highest in the league.

Austin FC has sold out 87 consecutive home games, the longest active sellout streak in MLS. The Texas capital's population has grown approximately 40% over the last 25 years, making it an attractive market as the city's only major professional sports franchise.

FirstTracks invested in Two Oaks Ventures, which owns the MLS team and operates its academy, MLS Next Pro affiliate and Q2 Stadium. The $260 million venue opened in 2021 and is owned by the city of Austin.

Austin FC finished the regular season 13-13-8 in sixth place in the Western Conference and faces LAFC in the first round of the playoffs starting October 29.

Nashville SC defeated Austin FC 2-1 on Wednesday night at Q2 Stadium to capture the club's first major trophy in the U.S. Open Cup final. Sam Surridge's second-half penalty proved decisive as Nashville secured automatic qualification for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.

The U.S. Open Cup, dating back to 1914, is the oldest soccer competition in the United States. Both clubs are recent MLS expansion sides, with Nashville joining in 2020 and Austin in 2021.

Hany Mukhtar gave Nashville an early lead in the 17th minute with a clinical finish. Teammate Jacob Shaffelburg chested a cross directly into Mukhtar's path for the opening goal.

"I think it is important for us that we know that we can do it, that we can win a trophy," said Mukhtar, who has been with the club since it joined MLS. "It gives us extra confidence for the rest of the (MLS) season."

Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake saved Myrto Uzuni's penalty after tripping him in the box. Uzuni equalized just before halftime, settling a through ball from Ilie Sanchez and firing between Schwake's legs to level the score.

Dani Pereira fouled Jeisson Palacios in the penalty area to give Nashville another opportunity. Surridge converted to put manager B.J. Callaghan's side ahead 2-1. Nashville finished with 10 men after Surridge received a second yellow card.

The final featured an all-women on-field officiating crew for the first time, including referee Tori Penso and assistants Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt. Actor and Austin FC owner Matthew McConaughey attended the match as the team's "Minister of Culture."

Callaghan previously guided the USMNT to victory in the 2023 Nations League final as interim coach. Nashville's last final came in the 2023 Leagues Cup, losing to Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in a penalty shootout.

Nashville currently sits sixth in MLS' Eastern Conference with two games remaining and has clinched a playoff spot.

Brandon Vazquez suffered a torn ACL in Austin FC's U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal win at the San Jose Earthquakes. Vazquez has been a candidate to make the USMNT roster for the World Cup.

Vazquez fell without contact in the 69th minute, four minutes after converting a penalty kick. Vazquez was removed from the field on a stretcher.

Vazquez is in his first season with Austin FC after joining from Monterrey in January. Vazquez has scored nine goals in all competitions.