Sporting KC fires Raphael Wicky after last-place finish in West

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Sporting Kansas City fired coach Raphael Wicky after one season on Monday, which means the MLS club will have its fourth coach since March 2025 when it begins the league's sprint season in February.

Sporting KC finished the season with a 1-0 win over San Diego on Saturday, leaving the club just 7-23-5 across all competitions and last in the Western Conference. The 26 points were the second-fewest in the history of the club.

Wicky replaced longtime coach Peter Vermes and his replacement, Kerry Zavagnin, who became the interim coach when Vermes and the club parted early last year. Wicky previously coached Young Boys in his native Switzerland and Chicago Fire FC in MLS.

"We would like to thank Raphael for his time at Sporting KC," said David Lee, the club's president of soccer operations. "The season has been challenging for many reasons, and we recognize that Rapha and his staff worked incredibly hard in difficult circumstances. After a review of the season, Rapha and I met, and I decided to make the change. We wish Rapha the best of luck in the future."