Inter Toronto Parts Ways With Mauro Eustaquio

Canadian Premier League side Inter Toronto has announced that head coach Mauro Eustaquio will not be returning for the 2027 CPL season after the club missed out on playoffs for the first time in four years.

Eustaquio had been with the club for five seasons, having first joined then-York United as an assistant coach under Martin Nash in 2022 after hanging up his boots as a player.

He remained on staff under Benjamin Mora, briefly taking an interim head coach role between the two managers in 2024 before being appointed to the permanent role himself that November.

His appointment made him the youngest head coach in CPL history and the first former league player to hold such a position, cracking playoffs in his first full season as head coach in 2025.

The 2026 CPL season saw the club rebrand to Inter Toronto and undergo an ambitious offseason that results didn’t match, however, with the club missing out on playoffs for the first time in four seasons.

The writing for his exit appeared to be on the wall when Inter Toronto ownership added high-calibre coach Jose Guadalupe Cruz to the coaching staff this summer as Mauro’s playoff chase lost steam. A Liga MX winner as both player and coach, Cruz was not the kind of hire a CPL side typically makes for an assistant role – though Inter Toronto has not officially named Mauro’s successor as of yet.

The ITO technical staff has also seen significant upheaval this year, with assistants Marco Bonofiglio, Mateus Lima, and Jose Petinga all departing this summer, while goalkeeper coach Camilo Benzi returned just five months after club brass had parted ways with him.

We had noted that Mauro was not present for the club’s final home game this season, with Jose Guadalupe Cruz being on the sidelines instead. Club officials stated that Mauro was absent while abroad obtaining coaching credentials and said he remained an integral part of the team.

Weeks later, his exit is now confirmed.

The club posted a dismal 7-9-12 WDL record this season, however, so it’s hard to argue against big moves for improvement – particularly with the club having conceded 65 goals this season and finishing with a rough -23 goal difference.

With star players like Ollie Bassett and Beni Badibanga undergoing quiet campaigns, the new boss will be aiming to get more out of high profile talent while shoring up the club’s leaky backline as priorities.

“Inter Toronto recognizes Mauro’s commitment to the club and believes he has a promising future in his coaching career. We thank him for everything he contributed and wish him continued success in the next chapter of his professional journey,” reads a statement from the club.

Inter Toronto states that further updates to the club’s coaching staff will be communicated as they become available.