Sporting Kansas City has found a new head coach in a month with the 2026 MLS season in sight.
Raphael Wicky has been appointed to the role, the Western Conference club announced on Monday. Wicky signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with SKC, including a club option for the 2028/29 season.
“I am very proud to be the new head coach of Sporting Kansas City,” said Wicky. “I’m really looking forward to getting started and getting to know the team, staff and players. In my conversations with David, we immediately bonded and felt very aligned in terms of culture and playing style. Sporting KC has always been a team that has competed to win trophies and I think the club has all the ingredients to get back to where it belongs: great ownership, great facilities, a talented academy and a beautiful stadium with fantastic fans.”
Wicky’s last managerial role came with Swiss Super League side Young Boys from 2022 to 2024, where he led the club to one league title and one Swiss Cup. He led Young Boys to a record of 51-17-20 in all competitions during his two years there.
Prior to his move to Switzerland, Wicky served as head coach of the Chicago Fire from December 2019 to September 2021. He posted a record of 12-14-26 in all competitions with the Fire.
Wicky also served as head coach of the U.S. Under-17 men’s national team and manager of Basel, Switzerland.
The 48-year-old also made more than 360 club appearances as a player, including for Sion, Werder Bremen, Hamburg and Chivas USA. He also earned 75 caps for the Swiss national team.
Sporting KC parted ways with former head coach Peter Vermes last March after he failed to win the first six games of the 2025 season. The club then failed to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs last season for the third time in the past four years.
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