Kansas City Current Part Ways With Sporting Director Vlatko Andonovski

Vlatko Andonovski's front-office tenure with the Kansas City Current is officially over. Less than a year after stepping down as head coach to become the club's sporting director, the 49-year-old and the organization have mutually agreed to part ways, concluding a chapter that brought the Current a historic 2025 NWSL Shield.[1][4][5]

The separation stems from a straightforward realization about the role itself. According to a brief statement released by the club on Monday, both parties concluded that Andonovski's requested transition from the sideline to the executive suite "was not the right fit."[1][2]

That transition happened in November 2025, immediately following a record-breaking campaign. Under Andonovski's tactical direction, Kansas City amassed a league-record 65 points and 21 wins, dominating the NWSL regular season.[1][5]

Rather than continuing to manage the squad on the pitch, the former United States Women's National Team manager opted to move upstairs. He handed the managerial reins to Chris Armas ahead of the 2026 season, stepping into a broader roster-building capacity.[1][2]

But the rhythm of a sporting director differs vastly from the daily pulse of coaching. While a manager dictates training sessions and matchday tactics, a sporting director navigates salary caps, long-term scouting, and complex player negotiations—a shift that ultimately proved misaligned with Andonovski's core strengths.[1][2]

The timing of the departure allows both the club and the executive to reset without disrupting the current squad's momentum. Under Armas, the Current are riding a three-game unbeaten streak following a 2-1 victory over Bay FC on Friday.[4]

Kansas City currently sits three points above the playoff line, navigating the critical final stretch of the 2026 NWSL season. While the locker room processes the sudden front-office change, the move removes any ambiguity about the club's leadership hierarchy as they push toward the postseason.[3][4]

For Andonovski, the exit marks the end of his second major stint in Kansas City soccer. He previously led FC Kansas City to back-to-back NWSL championships in 2014 and 2015, establishing himself as one of the league's premier tactical minds before his four-year run with the USWNT.[2][5]

The Current's ownership now faces the task of filling the sporting director vacancy, a crucial hire as the NWSL's salary cap expands and global competition for top-tier talent intensifies. The next executive will inherit a roster built to win now, operating out of the league's first purpose-built stadium.[1][2][6]

Andonovski departs with his legacy in Kansas City secure, having delivered a Shield and set the foundation for the club's current playoff push. The question now is whether the 49-year-old will seek another front-office position or return to the touchline where his career began.[4][5]