Another prominent sportswriter is leaving The Athletic.
Pablo Maurer announced his departure from The New York Times-owned outlet after spending the last seven years there. Maurer, who covered all things American soccer for The Athletic, is the latest writer with a significant following that the publication has parted ways with in recent weeks, joining college football writers Audrey Snyder and Jesse Temple.
In a post on X, Maurer noted that his time with The Athletic was ending, but his wording suggested the decision wasn’t mutual. He mentioned having “dozens of great feature ideas” and is “eager to keep doing great work ahead of the World Cup and beyond.”
*Some professional news*: After 7+ years, my time at The Athletic is coming to an end in June.
I have dozens of great feature ideas & am eager to keep doing great work ahead of the World Cup and beyond.
My DMs are open – please reach out, or find me at https://t.co/BsbjlhOAbC
— Pablo Iglesias Maurer (@MLSist) April 28, 2025
Letting go of a respected soccer journalist just a year before the U.S., Mexico, and Canada host the 2026 World Cup makes the move all the more curious. On Bluesky, Maurer addressed the move further, responding to a fan considering canceling his subscription in solidarity. Instead, he encouraged support for his now-former colleagues, including Jeff Rueter, Paul Tenorio, Felipe Cardenas, Melanie Anzidei, and Meg Linehan.
“My writing isn’t for everyone, and apparently they didn’t want it anymore,” he wrote.
Still, Maurer encouraged readers to continue supporting the site, adding, “There are still tons of good folks working there. I’ll keep reading.”
Just going to say this once: don’t cancel your subscription. Support Jeff, Paul, Felipe, Mel, Meg and the rest of the staff there. My writing isn’t for everyone, and apparently they didn’t want it anymore. But there are still tons of good folks working there. I’ll keep reading.
— Pablo Maurer (@mlsist.bsky.social) April 28, 2025 at 10:11 PM
It’s unclear what direction The Athletic is heading in. But the outlet has now parted ways with two prominent Big Ten beat writers and one of the most distinctive voices in American soccer coverage. Maurer didn’t just report on games; he focused on the culture and history of the sport, a perspective that feels especially relevant with the World Cup set to return to North America for the first time since 1994.
In addition to being an award-winning writer, Maurer is also an accomplished photographer. His written and visual work has appeared in National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Gothamist, and numerous other publications.
Here’s to hoping he lands on his feet.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.