KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sporting KC announced Monday it has “parted ways” with long-time manager Peter Vermes.
Vermes had been the longest-tenured head coach in Major League Soccer and one of the longest-serving managers across global soccer.
Despite his tenure, his club sits last in the MLS table, starting the 2025 season 0–5-1. The club is winless in its last 13 matches across all competitions dating back to last season.
Vermes’ tenure as head coach started on Aug. 4, 2009.
“It would be hard to list all of the people I want to thank after 20 seasons in managerial positions at Sporting Kansas City,” Vermes said in a press release Monday announcing his departure. “I am thankful to everyone, especially ownership for giving me the opportunity to be a steward of this club for the past two decades. I wish the club nothing but the best in the future."
Sporting KC principal owner Michael Illig has called a press conference for noon Tuesday.
The club announced Monday that Kerry Zavagnin will step in as the club’s interim head coach.
On Sunday, two of the club’s most influential fan groups — The Cauldron and South Stand Supporters Club — released a joint letter that both recognized Vermes’ contributions to the club and also called for him to step down.
A statement from the KC Cauldron & South Stand Supporters Club pic.twitter.com/I2rHgCI0Gd
— The Cauldron (@KCCauldron) March 30, 2025
Vermes was the constant for Sporting KC as it gained a foothold in the early 2010s as one of the premiere MLS clubs. He led the team to the 2013 MLS Cup Championship and won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015 and 2017.
His teams made the MLS playoffs eight straight seasons between 2011-2018.
Vermes won the 2000 MLS title as a central defender. He's the only person to win the MLS Cup as both a player and coach.
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