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NYCFC fires head coach Pascal Jansen after second-half collapse
New York City FC have sacked head coach Pascal Jansen less than a day after their final match of the 2026 season, following a late-season slump that ended their play-off hopes. The club said it had reviewed the season and would begin searching immediately for a successor, as it prepares for a new competition schedule and a move to a new stadium.
NYCFC finished 11th and missed the post-season for only the third time since joining Major League Soccer in 2015. They won just three matches after play resumed in August following the Leagues Cup break, with late goals contributing to dropped points. Jansen, appointed in 2025, had led the team to fifth place and the Eastern Conference Finals in his first season.
In short
- NYCFC dismissed Pascal Jansen after finishing 11th.
- The club won three matches after the August break.
- A new coach will lead the team into a new season and stadium.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
NYCFC can argue that missing the play-offs after winning only three matches following the August break showed the team needed a change in leadership. With a new competition schedule and stadium ahead, appointing a successor now could give the club time to reset and plan for that transition.
The case against
The club can also be criticised for dismissing a coach after one poor late-season run, especially since Jansen led NYCFC to fifth place and the Eastern Conference Finals in his first season. Late goals and dropped points may reflect wider squad or performance issues, so a change of coach alone may not address the causes.
Explained simply
New York City FC, usually called NYCFC, is a professional football club in Major League Soccer, the top men’s league in the United States and Canada. The league is split into Eastern and Western conferences, and teams compete for places in the post-season play-offs.
The club joined MLS in 2015 and is preparing to move to a new stadium. Its head coach oversees the team’s training, tactics and selection, while the club’s owners appoint or dismiss that coach. Jansen took charge in 2025, guiding NYCFC to the Eastern Conference Finals in his first season.