The Rebuild Starts Now
Austin FC has named Khaled El-Ahmad as its new Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director. The club sits near the bottom of the Western Conference and is in the middle of another difficult season. The appointment signals a major shift for an organization looking to improve its roster and build a more consistent winner.
El-Ahmad arrives with a successful MLS track record from Minnesota United FC. The Loons reached the MLS Cup Playoffs in each of his final two seasons with the club and advanced to the Western Conference semifinals both times. Before returning to MLS, El-Ahmad served as CEO and sporting director of England’s Barnsley FC, where the club reached the League One playoffs in consecutive seasons.
Austin FC needs a leader who understands how to construct a competitive roster within MLS’s unique rules. El-Ahmad’s new position gives him broad responsibility over the club’s sporting operation, including roster construction, recruitment and player development.
The move comes after Austin FC parted ways with head coach Nico Estévez and sporting director Rodolfo Borrell earlier this season. Davy Arnaud remains the club’s interim head coach through the end of the 2026 campaign, while Jim Curtin is set to take over as Austin’s next permanent head coach following the season.
The changes represent another important transition for the club, but Austin hopes this new structure can finally bring stability. Curtin will become the third permanent head coach in club history, and El-Ahmad will be tasked with helping build a sporting operation capable of competing consistently.
Winning Hearts While Winning Games
Despite the team’s struggles on the field, Austin FC’s supporters have continued to show up in huge numbers. The club has maintained an impressive sellout streak at Q2 Stadium, demonstrating the strength of its fan base and the continued enthusiasm surrounding soccer in Austin.
Majority owner Anthony Precourt and the club’s leadership now face the challenge of turning that support into sustained success on the field. Austin FC has built a strong business and supporter culture since entering MLS, but the next step is creating a team capable of matching that energy with consistent results.
CEO Andy Loughnane has emphasized the importance of finding a leader with experience navigating MLS and its complex roster-building system. That experience was a major reason El-Ahmad stood out as the right candidate to lead Austin’s soccer operations.
El-Ahmad takes over a club with clear potential. Austin has one of the league’s most passionate fan bases and a strong home environment, but it has struggled to maintain consistent success since its 2021 expansion season.
The club has also shown that it can compete in tournament settings. Austin FC reached the quarterfinals of the 2026 Leagues Cup, including a penalty-shootout victory over Club América, providing at least one encouraging sign during a challenging season.
A Burning Ambition for Results
This hire is about more than filling an executive position. Austin FC is restructuring its sporting leadership with the goal of building a more sustainable and competitive organization.
The club has reached the MLS Cup Playoffs twice since beginning play in 2021, including its memorable run to the Western Conference Final in 2022. However, Austin has struggled to consistently build on that success, making the next phase of the club’s development particularly important.
El-Ahmad now takes on the challenge of improving the roster and establishing a clearer long-term sporting vision. With Curtin set to arrive after the season, the two leaders will eventually be responsible for shaping Austin FC’s next era.
There is also an opportunity for Austin to compete for a place in the Concacaf Champions Cup. The top three finishers in the Leagues Cup qualify for the following year’s tournament, giving the club another potential path toward continental competition.
Austin FC has the resources, infrastructure and passionate support needed to become a consistent contender. The appointment of El-Ahmad shows that the club’s ownership is serious about changing its sporting direction and building a stronger foundation.
The next challenge is turning those organizational changes into results. The supporters have already shown their commitment to the club. Now El-Ahmad and Austin FC’s new sporting leadership must build a team capable of rewarding that loyalty with sustained success on the field.
