Davide Corti Named Cosmos Head Coach Ahead of 2026 USL League One Return

The New York Cosmos have appointed Davide Corti as head coach ahead of their 2026 debut in USL League One. Per CBS Sports Golazo, the 53-year-old Italian becomes the ninth manager in club history as the team readies its third return to professional soccer, with matches set to be played at Hinchliffe Stadium.

Corti signed a multi-year deal after stints coaching in Italy’s Serie A Femminile, leading AC Milan Women and later UC Sampdoria Women. His only previous experience managing a men’s senior side came in the mid-2000s with AS Ostia Mare Lido Calcio in Serie D. As a player, he came through AC Milan’s youth system, made one first-team appearance in the Coppa Italia, and spent much of his career in Serie C before retiring in 2005.

Post-retirement, Corti spent 12 years working in Milan’s academy and technical staff before moving to New Jersey, where he served as technical director of Cedar Stars Academy and worked with New Jersey Rush, both major youth development organizations. He returned to Italy in 2021 to take on senior coaching roles.

While his recent record in Serie A Femminile was mixed—AC Milan avoided relegation under his watch, and Sampdoria were eventually demoted—his track record with youth development appears to align with the Cosmos’ current vision. Under CEO Erik Stover and Head of Soccer Giuseppe Rossi, the club is shifting from star-driven rosters toward homegrown talent and a structure modeled more closely on European clubs.