Curtin brings 141 regular-season wins, the ninth-most in MLS history, to Austin FC.
AUSTIN, Texas — Austin FC has named Jim Curtin as its next head coach, the club announced on Monday, though he will not take over until after the 2026 MLS season.
Team officials said Davy Arnaud will remain interim head coach for the rest of the season.
Curtain spent a decade as the head coach for the Philadelphia Union and was dismissed after the club missed the 2024 playoffs. He led the Union to the 2020 Supporters’ Shield, the 2022 Eastern Conference title and an appearance in MLS Cup 2022. His teams reached the playoffs seven times. He also was named MLS Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2022, becoming one of a handful of coaches to win the award multiple times.
“I am incredibly honored to be named the head coach of Austin FC,” Curtin said in a statement. “From our very first conversation, they shared a vision for Austin FC that is bold, ambitious and built for the long term.”
The hire follows a major shakeup for Austin FC, which fired sporting director Rodolfo Borrell and head coach Nico Estévez on May 18 after a 2-1 home loss to Sporting Kansas City. The club is still searching for a new sporting director.
Curtin brings 141 regular-season wins, the ninth-most in MLS history. His teams have been known for consistency, player development and a competitive culture.
A former center back defender, Curtin played collegiately at Villanova and in the MLS with Chicago Fire and Chivas USA.
Curtin said he aims to build “a team that fights and makes you proud every time we take the field.” Austin FC currently sits near the bottom of the Western Conference at 3-7-3 following a 3-0 loss to St. Louis CITY SC.
MLS play will resume after the FIFA World Cup on July 22, when Austin FC hosts the Seattle Sounders at Q2 Stadium.
