Sporting KC and Peter Vermes Part Ways After Historic 17-Year Tenure

Sporting Kansas City and longtime manager Peter Vermes have mutually agreed to part ways, the club announced Monday, ending a historic 17-year run that saw Vermes become one of the most iconic figures in MLS history.

Vermes took over as Sporting’s head coach in 2009 after initially joining the front office in 2006. Over 609 matches, he led the team to an MLS Cup title in 2013 and three U.S. Open Cup victories. His 203 regular-season wins rank third all-time in league history, and no coach has led a single MLS club in more matches.

The decision comes amid a difficult start to the 2025 season. Sporting KC sit at the bottom of the standings with a 0W-5L-1D record and are winless in 13 straight matches across all competitions dating back to September 2024.

Kerry Zavagnin, a former SKC midfielder and longtime assistant under Vermes, has been named interim head coach as the club begins its search for a permanent replacement. Despite an ambitious offseason that saw the arrivals of Dejan Joveljić, Manu García, and Shapi Suleymanov, results have not followed.

Vermes originally joined Kansas City as a player in 2000, helping the team win a league and Supporters’ Shield double. Inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2013, he now leaves as the longest-serving head coach in Kansas City sports history and a legend of the American game.