Austin FC fired its head coach and sporting director on the same day, leaving the club to conduct two parallel searches during MLS's two-month World Cup break. The events that produced that situation unfolded over three years.
June 30, 2023
Borrell Hired as Sporting Director
Austin FC hired Rodolfo Borrell — formerly of Manchester City, Liverpool, and Barcelona — as sporting director, replacing Claudio Reyna. The hire was widely described as a coup for the club.
November 30, 2024
Borrell Fires Founding Coach Josh Wolff
Sporting director Rodolfo Borrell dismissed Josh Wolff, Austin FC's first-ever head coach, at the conclusion of the 2024 season. Lead assistant Davy Arnaud was named interim head coach during the search for a replacement.
December 14, 2024
Borrell Promises Unbelievable Coaching Candidates
During the coaching search following Wolff's dismissal, Borrell told reporters that candidates included 'names that you couldn't even believe.' The eventual hire was Nico Estévez, who had been dismissed by FC Dallas midway through his third season with a 3W-5D-8L record.
December 31, 2024
Estévez Hired as Head Coach
Nico Estévez was appointed Austin FC's second-ever head coach, a selection made by Borrell. Estévez went on to guide the club to the MLS Cup Playoffs and a U.S. Open Cup final in his first season.
March 31, 2026
Austin FC Exits U.S. Open Cup to a USL Side
Austin FC was eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup in its first match of the 2026 tournament, falling to Louisville City FC, a USL Championship club. The result accelerated calls within the fanbase for a coaching change.
May 12, 2026
5-0 Loss to Expansion Side San Diego FC
Austin FC conceded five goals to San Diego FC, an expansion club in its first MLS season. The result left the club at 3W-5D-6L through 14 games and set off what would become a decisive week for the organization.
May 15, 2026
Home Defeat to Last-Place Sporting Kansas City
Austin FC lost 2-1 at home to Sporting Kansas City, the last-place team in the Western Conference. Midfielder Dani Pereira said afterward that some players did not know the team's formation, and striker Brandon Vázquez said the club needed to 'be real in what we need to improve.'
May 17, 2026
Estévez and Borrell Fired Simultaneously
Austin FC announced the dismissal of head coach Nico Estévez and sporting director Rodolfo Borrell on the same morning, with no replacements named. Majority owner Anthony Precourt cited the need to qualify for the playoffs and 'become a consistent winner.' Borrell had spent north of $30 million net in transfer fees over three years without assembling a roster that consistently challenged MLS's upper tier.
May 17, 2026
Season Ticket Renewal Emails Sent Within Hours of Firings
Within hours of the firings being made public, season ticket holders reported receiving emails from their account representatives using the news of the dismissals as a hook for renewal conversations. Austin FC has not commented on the sequencing.
May 17, 2026
Arnaud Named Interim Head Coach — Again
Lead assistant Davy Arnaud was appointed interim head coach for the second time in two years, having previously served in the role following Josh Wolff's dismissal in 2024. He has made no public promises regarding the interim stint.
May 22, 2026
Arnaud Leads Club in Final Pre-Break Match at St. Louis
Austin FC traveled to St. Louis City for a match managed by Arnaud — the club's last game before MLS's two-month World Cup break. No sporting director or permanent head coach had been named.
May 30, 2026
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MLS's World Cup break begins. Austin FC enters the hiatus without a sporting director, without a permanent head coach, and without the internal scouting infrastructure to independently run either search. No timeline for announcements has been made public.