U.S. Soccer CEO on Pochettino, Crocker & the Future of Soccer in America

Description

Tom Bogert and Tab Ramos are joined by JT Batson, the CEO and Secretary General of the United States Soccer Federation, for an exclusive and revealing conversation about the future of the USMNT and U.S. Soccer. The group discusses the fallout from Matt Crocker leaving the federation less than two months before the FIFA World Cup, and JT explains his intriguing vision for replacing the Sporting Director role and restructuring the leadership hierarchy within U.S. Soccer. They also dive into JT’s relationship with Mauricio Pochettino, including insight into Pochettino’s plans following the World Cup and the long-term direction of the national team program. Plus, JT gives candid answers about the future of the U.S. Open Cup and shares what he believes U.S. Soccer must become in order to continue growing the sport in America. 🎧 Listen to the full audio podcast: https://t.co/Lp1vrt7fvR 📲 Follow Inside American Soccer: Twitter / X: https://x.com/InsideAmSoc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insideamericansoccer/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@insideamericansoccer 00:00 Intro 00:34 JT Batson’s soccer journey 01:59 Returning to refereeing at the new US Soccer Training Center 03:00 Atlanta’s role in American soccer history 05:19 What the US Soccer CEO actually does 06:39 Why US Soccer’s culture is changing 08:19 Matt Crocker’s departure and succession planning 13:04 The future of the sporting director role 17:56 What success looks like at the 2026 World Cup 21:38 Mauricio Pochettino’s future with US Soccer 23:11 The lasting impact of the 1994 World Cup 26:28 JT Batson on the US Open Cup and soccer investment in America 30:47 Closing thoughts