> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://verdeallday.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Report: Khaled El-Ahmad named Austin FC Chief Soccer Officer - URL: https://verdeallday.com/report-khaled-el-ahmad-named-austin-fc-chief-soccer-officer/ - Published: 2026-08-20T22:58:05.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-20T22:58:05.000Z - Description: A report from a reliable source has Khaled El-Ahmad moving from Minnesota United FC to Austin FC. He would team with the incoming Jim Curtin to steer the squad into a new era. - Author: Phil West - Tags: 2026 season, austin fc, new hire Following the hint from a source with knowledge last week that Austin FC was close to naming a Chief Soccer Officer, The Athletic's Tom Bogert r[eported Thursday afternoon](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7527622/2026/08/20/sources-austin-fc-set-to-hire-minnesota-uniteds-khaled-el-ahmad-as-chief-soccer-officer/?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.61A.IKlu.iiFXUoriOxiP&source=emp%5Fshared%5Farticle&smid=ta-ios-share) that Khaled El-Ahmad, currently Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director with Minnesota United FC, will take a similar role in Austin. El-Ahmad, 45, who has been with the Twin Cities club since 2023, was born in Lebanon to Lebanese and Czech parents, and raised in Sweden, per his [MNUFC bio](https://www.mnufc.com/club/technical-staff/khaled-el-ahmad?ref=verdeallday.com). His experience includes serving as Chief Executive Officer and Sporting Director at Barnsley F.C. in England from 2021 to 2023, and was with City Football Group during the prior six years, where he was Concacaf and Scandinavia Scouting Lead for CFG, and supported roster construction and recruitment for NYCFC — which means he coordinated with original Austin FC sporting director Claudio Reyna. "As part of the newly announced leadership structure, the club’s next appointed Sporting Director will serve as Austin FC’s Chief Soccer Officer and will oversee all functions of Soccer Operations, including roster construction and the club’s player development pathway, and will report directly to Loughnane," Austin FC said in its Aug. 11 press release announcing Loughnane's elevation to CEO. "The club's ongoing search for its next Sporting Director continues collaboratively among Precourt, Loughnane, and Austin FC Alternate Governor Matt Hulsizer alongside Excel Search & Advisory," that press release continued – perhaps setting the table for an announcement that a source hinted was due for official announcement as soon as this coming weekend. "I think it’s a fascinating move for Austin," said longtime MNUFC observer and seasoned soccer writer Wes Burdine, who also owns the [Black Hart of Saint Paul](https://www.blackhartstp.com/?ref=verdeallday.com), the spiritual home for Loons fans. "Minnesota has punched above its weight for some time, while at the same time entering real doldrums. Both the praise and blame for that can be put at KEA’s feet. "He signed \[head coach\] Eric Ramsay, a pretty bold move," he continued. "But his biggest player signings, like Kelvin Yeboah and Dominick Fitz, have been underwhelming. But I suspect his argument is that, overall, his record has been good without resources and with a big checkbook he can shine." Burdine's recent [Substack article](https://substack.com/inbox/post/212001169?ref=verdeallday.com) decried the Loons' stagnant progress compared to MLS' elite teams. > "They have never found themselves in a cycle where they’re overburdened by multiple long term contracts from players who are flopping. They’ve made the playoffs five out of the last six seasons. Okay, low bar, but I think generally they’ve never been DC United dogshit," he observed. > "But we find ourselves in this place. We find ourselves with a team that isn’t bad, *definitely* isn’t good, and for sure isn’t interesting at all. There are a lot of pretty good players. Some of those players like \[Joaquin\] Pereyra are exceptional, but he’s a player who needs a star around him to draw him to that higher level. He needs to be the 3rd best player, not the best, if he’s really going to shine." > He went on to observe, "I also don’t think getting rid of KEA and the sporting department is necessarily the answer. I think that while there have been massive misses in player acquisition, this is pretty par for the course in MLS (every team has Dominick Fitz level flops). And I think you could probably make the argument that the team has done better than average with its resources." Austin FC is a team that hasn't been afraid to spend, though its hit rate on designated players and U22 Initiative players has been mixed. Per a source, El-Ahmad has a keen interest in advanced soccer data and analytics to aid in player evaluation, and could place additional emphasis on that should he officially arrive, partnering with head-coach-in-waiting Jim Curtin and newly arrived senior vice president of soccer strategy Dean Costalas. Bogert reported that El-Ahmad will be replaced at Minnesotea by the team's current head of recruitment, Hank Stebbins, taking an interim CSO role. *This is a developing story.* [Sure, we'll roll out this special deal one more time](https://verdeallday.com/try-it-out-welcome-back-special) *Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out* Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) *wherever you get your podcasts.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/d1/1ed16f3e-4f96-4b65-9a04-4b0634738b99/content/images/2026/07/Verde-All-Day-Newsletter-Banner-Ad-2.png)