Austin FC announces Khaled El-Ahmad as its new sporting director and chief soccer officer as the Major League Soccer club continues a major roster and leadership rebuild. The move comes as the club faces the possibility of missing the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.
El-Ahmad, 45, previously served as sporting director at Minnesota for the past two seasons, with Minnesota reaching the MLS playoffs in both years. At Austin FC, the change is part of a broader coaching transition: interim coach Davy Arnaud leads the team after Nico Estévez is fired in May. Jim Curtain is set to become permanent head coach after the current season.
The reports frame El-Ahmad’s hiring as both an organizational reset and a bid to improve results during a difficult stretch. While the outlets largely focus on the appointment and its timing, they provide additional context on Austin’s standing and the interim-to-permanent coaching change.
