Earthquakes ink extension with coach Arena

Bruce Arena is sticking around in San Jose.

The Earthquakes announced Monday that Arena had signed a contract extension through the 2028-29 season, meaning he will be in charge of the Quakes for the next three years.

Arena’s team has surprised Major League Soccer this season, sitting second in the Western Conference standings, only behind Vancouver on goal differential. San Jose has 32 points from 15 matches and won nine of its first 10 games to open the 2026 season after just missing the playoffs last year in Arena’s first season as coach.

That hot streak was the best 10-game start in the league this century. With a 10-3-2 record, the Quakes are just one win shy of matching last year’s victory total.

"We have a great core group of players here and a devoted fan base that has treated me very well from the start,” Arena said in a team release.

Arena, 74, is the all-time wins leader in MLS history, having won two MLS Cups with D.C. United in the 1990s and three with the LA Galaxy between 2011 and 2014. He joined the Quakes in November 2024, just over a year after resigning from the New England Revolution following a leave of absence over a league investigation into “insensitive and inappropriate remarks.”

The Quakes — who watched captain Cristian Espinoza and star striker duo Josef Martinez and Chicho Arango leave last offseason — have leaned on a young core this season including homegrown attacking midfielder Niko Tsikaris. The 20-year-old is tied for fifth in MLS with seven assists, while forward Preston Judd is tied for fourth league-wide with 11 goals.

"We are proud to have Bruce leading our club,” Earthquakes owner John Fisher said in a statement. "He has done an outstanding job rebuilding this team and getting us positioned amongst the top teams in MLS this season.”

Arena is also the all-time leader in wins (81) and games coached (148) among U.S. men’s national team managers.

"What the Quakes have achieved in 2026 is just the start of what we believe will be a sustainable run of excellence for our club,” team president Jared Shawlee said.

The Quakes are on break for the World Cup but play Club Tijuana July 3 in a friendly at PayPal Park and return to MLS action July 22 when they host Orlando City.

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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 12:21 PM.