Austin FC has made significant changes to its coaching staff following a lackluster start to the season, parting ways with both sporting director Rodolfo Borrell and head coach Nico Estévez. This decision comes after the team found itself in 13th place in the Western Conference after 14 matches.
Long-time assistant Davy Arnaud has been appointed as interim head coach and will lead the team in its upcoming match against St. Louis, and potentially for a longer duration. The team, along with the rest of Major League Soccer, will observe a two-month hiatus during the World Cup, with the second half of the season set to resume on July 22 at home against Seattle. This extended break presents an opportunity for Austin FC to implement significant changes and allow a new coaching staff to acclimate before competitive matches return.
To facilitate the search for new leadership, Austin FC has engaged the services of Excel Sports Management, a head-hunting firm tasked with finding both a new sporting director and head coach.
In a statement, Austin FC CEO and Majority Owner Anthony Precourt expressed gratitude for Borrell’s commitment to the club, stating, “Ultimately, we believe this decision is in the best interest of Austin FC. We know that our fans and our community deserve a winner, and our ownership group will continue to make the necessary decisions in order to deliver consistently strong results across competitions.”
Borrell, who joined the club in 2023, previously enjoyed success at Barcelona and Manchester City, but his tenure in Austin yielded mixed results, including a playoff appearance and a run to the U.S. Open Cup final last season.
Estévez, who took over as head coach in 2025, led the team to notable successes in his first season. However, his overall record with Austin FC stands at 16 wins and 13 draws across 58 MLS matches. Precourt acknowledged Estévez’s contributions, noting, “Nico has been a trusted ambassador for Austin FC and Austin during his time as Head Coach. We believe this team can compete for a playoff position, and given our results thus far, a change is necessary to achieve our goals of qualifying for the playoffs this year and becoming a consistent winner in this League.”
Despite efforts to enhance the roster following last year’s playoff run, inconsistent performance on the field led to dissatisfaction among fans, prompting the ownership to take decisive action.
Correction: A previous version of this story misspelled the last name of head coach Nico Estévez.
