Sporting KC hire Raphaël Wicky as head coach on two-year contract

Wicky is the fifth permanent head coach in team history

Swiss arrives after stints with Chicago and Young Boys

Sporting Kansas City named Raphaël Wicky as the fifth permanent head coach in franchise history on Monday.

Wicky, 48, coached the Chicago Fire from 2020-21 before managing BSC Young Boys in his native Switzerland from 2022-24. He signed a contract through the 2027-28 MLS season with an option for the 2028-29 campaign.

He becomes the club’s first full-time coach since Peter Vermes, who parted ways with Sporting KC after 17 seasons on 31 March. Interim coach Kerry Zavagnin finished out a difficult season that ended with the worst record (7-20-7, 28 points) in the Western Conference.