The Philadelphia Union has parted ways with head coach Jim Curtin, multiple sources confirmed to The Athletic on Thursday morning.
Curtin was the second-longest-tenured head coach in Major League Soccer before leaving the club, having joined the Union in 2014.
Over the past decade, he compiled a 174-93-138 record across all competitions, leading the Union to a Supporters’ Shield in 2020 and an Eastern Conference championship in 2022. Curtin led the Union to the U.S. Open Cup final three times and the 45-year-old won the MLS coach of the year award twice, in 2020 and 2022.
In July 2023, the Union signed him to a multi-year contract extension, which ran through 2026.
But the Union struggled with roster churn and injuries in 2024 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017. At his year-end press conference, Curtin told reporters he wanted to return as the Union’s head coach, suggesting that, in his opinion, the club’s roster did not need a complete overhaul.
The Union did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday morning.
Curtin, who has repeatedly been linked to job openings across MLS and abroad, will likely become a candidate for two of MLS’ most desirable posts. Atlanta United are without a permanent head coach and are currently under the guidance of interim manager Rob Valentino. St Louis City SC have been without a permanent coach since dismissing Bradley Carnell in July.
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