Sporting Kansas City and long-tenured coach Peter Vermes have mutually agreed to part ways.
The decision comes just six games into the 2025 Major League Soccer season. Vermes’ Kansas City finds itself in last place in the league with one point to its name and a cumulative goal difference of -6, shouldering a 13-game winless streak that stretches back to the end of the 2024 season.
Vermes joined Kansas City in 2006 as the club’s technical director and took over its head-coaching job in 2009. His 15 seasons of service made him the longest-tenured active coach in MLS and the fourth longest-tenured active coach in world soccer.
“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 statement. “I am thankful to everyone, especially ownership for giving me the opportunity of being a steward of this club for the past two decades. I wish the club nothing but the best in the future.”
Vermes leaves quite the legacy behind — he led Kansas City to one MLS Cup victory, three U. S. Open Cup victories and 11 playoff appearances during his tenure. He signed some of the club’s all-time greats, from former USMNT stars like Graham Zusi and Benny Feilhaber to active MLS legends like Daniel Salloi and Kei Kamara, and he inspired a new generation of American soccer coaches.
But while Vermes will be remembered favorably, it was unquestionably his time to leave. Kansas City has struggled mightily in recent seasons, and its rough start in 2025 was simply one indignity too many for its longtime fans. The KC Cauldron and the South Stand, two of Kansas City’s most influential supporter groups, publicly called for Vermes’ resignation hours before news of his departure became official.
Kansas City’s challenges this season are real, but there’s impressive talent lurking within the squad that could turn the club’s season around.
Multi-million dollar striker Dejan Joveljic — an ex-L.A. Galaxy player who scored the winning goal in the 2024 MLS Cup final — arrived during the winter and has yet to find his form. Spanish midfielder Manu Garcia is in a similar boat. The club’s goalkeeping and defense remain weak, but MLS’ transfer window won’t close until the end of April, so reinforcement signings are possible.
With investment, patience and a careful tactical re-think, this Kansas City side could turn into an outside threat for the Western Conference playoff spots.
These changes will fall on the shoulders of Kerry Zavagnin, an ex-Kansas City player and former assistant coach to Vermes. Zavagnin will take over the reins as interim coach while the Kansas City board shops around for a full-time backfill for Vermes. Zavagnin has his work cut out for him: His first game in charge will be a highly-charged derby against local rival St. Louis City SC.
As for Vermes? He’d be welcomed with open arms by several beleaguered MLS clubs, most of whom have the utmost respect for his integrity and longevity. But even if he never works in MLS again, Vermes will go down history as one of the league’s undisputed greats.
It was his time to leave, but his two decades with Kansas City were far from a failure.
