Nick Cushing fired from NYCFC head coaching job

Nick Cushing is out in New York.

New York City FC fired their head coach just three days after a discouraging 2-0 loss to their cross-river rival New York Red Bulls in the conference semifinals of the 2024 MLS Cup.

Cushing, 40, had risen to the managerial role in 2022 and leaves the program with a 31-31-27 record in MLS play.

“We would like to thank Nick for his incredible dedication to the club and this city,” NYCFC Sporting Director David Lee said in a statement released by the club.

“During his time at New York City FC, Nick has been a true professional, playing an important role in delivering the Club’s first MLS Cup as an assistant coach and then leading the team as interim head coach to a Campeones Cup victory in 2022.”

The 2022 season was NYCFC’s best during Cushing’s tenure, though the team slipped after he assumed the head coaching job in June of that year.

Coming off a championship in 2021, then-head coach Ronny Delia departed from New York to lead Belgium’s Standard Liege — opening the door for Cushing, then an assistant coach, to assume the top spot.

Under Cushing, who was formerly the head coach of Manchester City’s women’s team, NYCFC struggled to match their pristine early-season form, accumulating a record of 8-8-4 down the stretch.

Cushing’s squad entered postseason play as the fifth seed. New York City FC went on to win two matches before falling to the Philadelphia Union, 3-1, in the conference finals. 

About three weeks prior to the MLS elimination, NYCFC had defeated Atlas F.C. of Liga MX 2-0 in the Campeones Cup — the annual match between the reigning MLS champions and the winner of the Mexican Super Cup.

In 2023, Cushing’s NYCFC finished with a paltry 9-11-14 record and failed to qualify for postseason play.

The squad improved to 14-12-8 in 2024, but underwhelmed in the conference semifinals against the Red Bulls.

“Whilst we are incredibly appreciative for all he has done for the club, at this current time, we believe it’s best to move the team in a new direction as we plan for the 2025 season and beyond,” Lee said in his statement.

In October, rumors surfaced linking Cushing to the head coaching vacancy at Arsenal’s women’s side, though he had said at the time that no one from the organization was in contact with him.

NYCFC now join the Atlanta United, Philadelphia Union and Vancouver Whitecaps as one of four MLS teams without a head coach.