Sporting KC hire Raphaël Wicky as head coach on two-year contract

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Sporting Kansas City Names Raphaël Wicky as Fifth Head Coach in Franchise History

A new era has dawned for Sporting Kansas City, with the club announcing the appointment of 48-year-old Frenchman Raphaël Wicky as its fifth permanent head coach. The two-year contract, which runs through the 2027-28 MLS season with an option for a further year, marks a significant change of guard following the departure of long-serving boss Peter Vermes in March.

Wicky's appointment comes after a tumultuous season under interim coach Kerry Zavagnin, who struggled to stem the club's decline. The worst record in the Western Conference (7-20-7, 28 points) ended with a disappointing finish, but Wicky is confident that he can restore the team to its former glory.

"I am very proud to be the new head coach of Sporting Kansas City," said Wicky, who has previously managed the Chicago Fire and BSC Young Boys in Switzerland. "I am really excited to get started and get to know the team, the staff and the players."

Wicky's experience, both domestically and internationally, made him the standout candidate for the job. He compiled a 12-25-14 record with the Chicago Fire and has a proven track record of developing high-energy teams that play an attacking style of football.

"Rapha's teams are attack-minded, high-energy and possession-oriented – all qualities that represent the style of play we want to implement here in Kansas City," said Sporting KC president and general manager David Lee. "He is a leader and a proven winner who will bring a humble, collaborative and hard-working approach to his role."

Wicky's arrival also marks an opportunity for the club to tap into European expertise. The Frenchman has experience managing BSC Young Boys in Switzerland and previously coached the United States' U-17 squad.

"Sporting KC has always been a team that competed to win trophies and I feel that the club has all the ingredients to get back to where it belongs – great ownership, amazing facilities, a talented academy and a beautiful stadium with fantastic fans," Wicky said.

With the 2026 MLS season just around the corner, Sporting Kansas City will be eager to make an instant impact under Wicky's guidance.
 
so they're trying out this new fella raphaël wicky? he's french and has experience coaching in the us and switzerland 🤔 i wonder how he'll do compared to peter vermes who was there for like 10 years and did alright i guess ⚽️ wicky's team played a lot of attack-minded football back when he was at chicago fire, that sounds kinda exciting 😃 but what's with sporting kansas city having so many head coaches? doesn't seem very stable to me 🤷‍♀️ david lee says wicky's a leader and a winner, but how long will it take him to actually prove it? 💪
 
I THINK RAPHAËL WICKY IS GOING TO BRING A FRESH PERSPECTIVE TO SPORTING KC! HE'S GOT SOME SERIOUS EXPERIENCE UNDER HIS BELT AND I LOVE THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT PLAYING AN ATTACK-MINDED STYLE OF FOOTBALL. IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO GET BACK TO WINNING STUFF AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW WICKY IS GOING TO BRING THE TEAM TOGETHER! 🏆👊
 
think wicky's appointment is interesting but there's some uncertainty about how he'll mesh with the squad 🤔. chicago fire and bsc young boys records aren't super impressive, so i'm not convinced he's a miracle worker 💪. david lee saying wicky's teams are attack-minded, high-energy is true but we gotta see it on the pitch first ⚽️. also wonder how the american players will adapt to his european playing style 🤷‍♂️. still excited for the new era at sporting KC though! 😊
 
I gotta correct you 😊, it sounds like they're bringing in Raphaël Wicky as the fifth head coach, but isn't Peter Vermes still technically their manager since he only recently left? 🤔 I don't think Sporting KC has officially named a new permanent head coach yet. Anyway, based on what we know about Wicky's track record, it's cool that they're hoping to bring some European expertise to the table. His teams have always been attack-minded and high-energy, which could be just what Sporting KC needs. But let's see how he does in terms of player development – we don't want to repeat the same issues with injuries and inconsistent form. The fans will likely be keeping a close eye on this, so I'm sure Wicky's gonna have his work cut out for him 😅.
 
I'm so excited for Raphaël Wicky to take over at Sporting KC... reminds me of when Preki was leading them back in 2000... 🏆 those were crazy times! I think Wicky has big shoes to fill, but I like the sound of his attack-minded style - it's been a while since we've seen that in KC. And European expertise? That's a great asset - I remember when Carlos Rodriguez was running things and how well they did... fingers crossed Wicky can bring some of that magic back to the team! 🤞
 
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