Ken Griffin Funded Largest Gift Behind Pochettino Hire

A Citadel spokesperson confirmed that Ken Griffin made the largest philanthropic donation that helped secure Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment as head coach of the U.S. men’s national team in 2024.

The hiring followed the national team’s disappointing Copa America performance. The federation sought a manager with top-level club experience ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup; Pochettino’s résumé includes Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. He has since led the U.S. into the knockout rounds of the 2026 tournament.

Citadel described the gift as the single largest philanthropic contribution tied to the coaching search. The donation arrived alongside other private contributions used by the federation to attract a high-profile manager.

Griffin’s soccer philanthropy extends beyond the national team. Earlier donations funded community mini-pitches in Chicago and Miami. Griffin and Miami developer Stephen Ross also distributed more than 1,200 World Cup tickets to local residents.

Citadel manages roughly $68 billion in assets. Griffin has directed charitable capital to both elite soccer projects and neighborhood facilities in the United States.

U.S. Soccer officials have said private funding was one element used to present competitive offers to candidates with top-level experience and to support recruitment costs for the World Cup cycle.