Pascal Jansen Steps Away From NYCFC Sidelines for Personal Reasons

New York City FC announced on Monday that head coach Pascal Jansen won’t be on the touchline when the club faces the New England Revolution this Wednesday at Citi Field. The statement was brief – Jansen is dealing with “personal matters” that will keep him away from the match.

It’s not the first time the Dutch‑born boss has stepped back. Back in June, Jansen missed a game for similar reasons, and assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy filled in then as well. “This isn’t about my record or my stamp,” Ballouchy told reporters on Monday, smiling despite the obvious pressure. “Pascal is the head coach. He’s connected with us twice a day, every day, and he’ll be on the line with us live on game day. Nothing really changes in our process – we just keep him as close to the team as possible.”

For the upcoming Wednesday fixture, Ballouchy will officially act as head coach. The club hopes the continuity will be enough to keep the squad on track, especially after a string of underwhelming results. NYCFC have drawn three straight MLS games – the most recent a 1‑1 stalemate with the Revolution in Foxborough last month – and have only managed two wins since the league resumed following the World Cup break.

The last victory came on July 25, when the team hammered the Chicago Fire 3‑1 at Yankee Stadium. Since then, the club’s form has dipped, and even the Leagues Cup hasn’t offered much solace – just a single win in that competition.

Looking ahead, NYCFC travel to Salt Lake City for a Saturday showdown with Real Salt Lake. The club’s official line says Jansen will rejoin the squad ahead of that match, so fans can expect him back in the dugout before the weekend.

In the meantime, Ballouchy will get his first real test as the stand‑in coach in a high‑stakes MLS clash. Whether the team can break its recent dead‑lock without its head man remains to be seen, but the players and staff seem determined to keep the momentum going, even if the coach’s seat is temporarily empty.