Jurgen Klopp is set to become Germany's next head coach. Sky in Germany report that a breakthrough was reached during negotiations in New York on Friday, with an agreement in principle now in place between Klopp and the German Football Association. The DFB are planning to announce the deal on Saturday.
The contract is expected to run until the end of the 2030 World Cup — a signal that the DFB aren't thinking about a quick fix. They want Klopp to rebuild something. That's a different kind of pressure than steadying a ship mid-cycle.
The Red Bull exit and what triggered this
Since leaving Liverpool in 2024, Klopp had been working as head of global soccer for Red Bull Group. Not coaching. Overseeing. His contract, though, included a specific exit clause for the Germany job — which suggests this was always a possibility someone had pencilled in. His departure from Red Bull is expected to be confirmed with CEO Oliver Mintzlaff, also in New York, by early next week.
The vacancy opened up after Julian Nagelsmann stepped down following Germany's shock last-32 World Cup exit against Paraguay. Nagelsmann had actually done reasonable work — he guided Germany to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, where Spain, the eventual champions, ended their run. But a last-32 World Cup exit on home soil carries consequences. He's gone.
Klopp walking into that dressing room changes the calculus around Germany immediately. His ability to build belief inside a squad is about as well-documented as it gets — what he did at Dortmund and then Liverpool over fourteen years wasn't accidental. Germany's odds to be competitive at the 2026 World Cup will shift the moment this is confirmed.
Only the final contract details remain to be resolved. This one is essentially done.
