If Team USA moves up in the World Cup, thank a Miami billionaire for helping
Miami billionaire Ken Griffin didn’t score a goal or coach a match, but the Citadel founder may have played a pivotal role in the U.S. men’s national team’s surprising World Cup run.
The U.S. faces Bosnia and Herzegovina at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Santa Clara, California, in a win-or-go-home Round of 32 match. If the U.S. wins, it will advance to the Round of 16 and and into the deepest World Cup run in decades.
Much of the credit for the team’s resurgence has gone to coach Mauricio Pochettino, who inherited a program reeling from its disappointing first-round exit at the 2024 Copa América. Nearly two years later, the Argentine has restored optimism around the national team and guided the Americans into the knockout rounds.
Griffin helped make that turnaround possible.
Here’s how:
When fellow hedge fund manager Scott Goodwin approached Griffin about helping fund U.S. Soccer’s pursuit of Pochettino, Griffin agreed to make the largest private contribution toward the coach’s contract, Reuters reported this week. The amount of Griffin’s contribution has not been disclosed, but it’s likely in the millions.
That’s because Pochettino’s turnaround came with a hefty price tag. The highest-paid coach in U.S. Soccer history earns an annual base salary of about $6 million. Tax filings show he received more than $5 million during his first seven months on the job, including an approximately $2.5 million signing bonus.
Now, as the Americans chase their deepest World Cup run in decades, Griffin’s investment appears to be paying off.
For Griffin, the support goes far beyond writing a check. The 57-year-old billionaire has been passionate about soccer since childhood, beginning to play at age 6, competing on a state runner-up high school team and later playing and coaching as an adult, according to Citadel.
“He’s a soccer fan and has been a big supporter of youth soccer,” Citadel spokesman David Millar said told the Miami Herald.
That passion has translated into philanthropy. Griffin, whose charitable giving exceeds $2.5 billion, has long said soccer teaches teamwork, discipline and the joy of competition.
In 2017, he donated $3 million to the U.S. Soccer Foundation to build 50 neighborhood mini-pitches across Chicago.
After relocating Citadel’s headquarters to Miami, Griffin committed another $5 million in 2023 to build 50 mini-pitches throughout Miami-Dade as part of a public-private initiative to expand access to soccer in underserved communities ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The initiative continues to grow. Earlier this year, partners announced that 25 of the mini-pitches will be installed at Miami-Dade Public Schools, helping complete the countywide goal of 50 fields by the end of 2026.
Griffin has also helped local residents experience the World Cup firsthand. He and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross donated more than 1,200 match tickets to Miami-area residents to attend games in one of the tournament’s host cities.
Backing Pochettino also fits Griffin’s approach in business.
On Wall Street, the billionaire is known for paying top dollar to recruit elite talent for his $68 billion hedge fund, Citadel. His support for one of soccer’s most sought-after coaches reflects the same philosophy: Invest in elite talent and give it the resources to win.
