KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sporting Kansas City announced Monday it has terminated Raphael Wicky after one season as head coach.
The club also announced assistant coaches Edu Rubio and Ash Wallace will not return to the team in 2027.
Sporting finished the season 7-22-5, leaving them in a distant last place in the Western Conference with 26 points. They narrowly avoided finishing last in the league by winning their final match Saturday against San Diego.
"We would like to thank Raphael for his time at Sporting KC," David Lee, president of soccer operations and general manager for Sporting KC, said in a statement Monday. "The 2026 season has been challenging for many reasons, and we recognize that Rapha and staff worked incredibly hard in difficult circumstances."
Lee said that after a review of the season, he met with Rapha and decided to make the change.
"We wish Rapha the best of luck in the future," Lee said.
The team will have a short window to identify the next head coach before the MLS begins a 14-game "sprint" season on Saturday, Feb. 20.
The club said roster decisions will be announced Tuesday.