Miami billionaire’s investment in Team USA pays off as World Cup run continues

Miami billionaire Ken Griffin’s investment in Team USA continues to pay off — all the way to the FIFA World Cup Round of 16.

With a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night, the U.S. men’s national team advanced to the knockout stage for the first time since 2002 and won three matches in a single World Cup for the first time in program history.

Up next is a Monday showdown against Belgium in Seattle, where a quarterfinal berth will be on the line.

Much of the credit for the team’s resurgence has gone to coach Mauricio Pochettino, who inherited a program reeling from its disappointing first-round exit at the 2024 Copa América.

Nearly two years later, the Argentine has restored optimism around the national team and guided the Americans on their deepest World Cup run in decades.

So what does a Miami billionaire have to do with Team USA’s surprising success?

Quite a bit.

When fellow hedge fund manager Scott Goodwin approached Griffin about helping fund U.S. Soccer’s pursuit of Pochettino, Griffin agreed to make the largest private contribution toward the coach’s contract, Reuters reported this week. The amount of Griffin’s contribution has not been disclosed, but it is believed to be in the millions.

Pochettino did not come cheap. The highest-paid coach in U.S. Soccer history earns an annual base salary of about $6 million. Tax filings show he received more than $5 million during his first seven months on the job, including an approximately $2.5 million signing bonu, Reuters reported..

Now, as the Americans prepare to face Belgium with a chance to reach the World Cup quarterfinals, Griffin’s investment appears to be paying dividends.

Griffin’s support for the sport goes well beyond writing a check. The 57-year-old billionaire has been passionate about soccer since childhood, beginning to play at age 6, competing on a state runner-up high school team and later playing and coaching as an adult, according to Citadel.

“He’s a soccer fan and has been a big supporter of youth soccer,” Citadel spokesman David Millar told the Miami Herald.

That passion has translated into philanthropy.

In 2017, Griffin donated $3 million to the U.S. Soccer Foundation to build 50 neighborhood mini-pitches across Chicago.

After relocating Citadel’s headquarters to Miami, he committed another $5 million in 2023 to build 50 mini-pitches throughout Miami-Dade County as part of a public-private initiative to expand access to soccer in underserved communities ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The initiative continues to grow. Earlier this year, officials announced that 25 of the mini-pitches will be installed at Miami-Dade County Public Schools, helping complete the countywide goal of 50 fields by the end of 2026.

Griffin has also helped local residents experience the World Cup firsthand. He and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross donated more than 1,200 match tickets to Miami-area residents so they could attend games in one of the tournament’s host cities.

If Pochettino can lead the Americans past Belgium on Monday, the conversation will shift from an improbable World Cup run to whether Team USA can make a serious push toward the semifinals — and perhaps even the final.

This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 5:12 PM with the headline "Miami billionaire’s investment in Team USA pays off as World Cup run continues."

Luisa Yanez

Miami Herald