Marco Silva announced he will leave Fulham at the end of his contract in June 2026 after five years as head coach [1, 2, 3, 4]. His contract expires at the end of this month, and although Fulham offered him a three-year extension, Silva has not accepted it [5, 1, 3]. The 48-year-old Portuguese manager is close to agreeing to become the new head coach of Benfica, where he would likely replace José Mourinho, who is expected to join Real Madrid [5, 1, 2, 3, 4].
Silva was appointed Fulham head coach in 2021 when the club was in the Championship [1, 2, 4]. In his first season, he led Fulham to the Championship title and promotion to the Premier League [1, 2, 4]. Under Silva’s leadership, Fulham stabilized as a Premier League side, finishing 10th, 13th, 11th, 11th, and 11th in their last five top-flight campaigns [1, 2, 3, 4]. The club secured 11th position on the final day of the 2025-26 season with a victory over Newcastle [1].
Fulham owner Shahid Khan said Silva and the club were "an excellent fit for five seasons, but change is inevitable in this game, and we've accordingly prepared for this moment" [2]. Khan added that Fulham will appoint a new head coach "in a timely but deliberate manner" who will meet the club's and fans' expectations [4]. Silva thanked Fulham fans for their support over the years, saying, "From my first day, I asked for your support and you gave it consistently over the last five years. Fulham will always mean a lot to me, and I'm sure I will return to Craven Cottage one day" [2, 3, 4].
Benfica finished third in the Portuguese league last season and will enter Europa League qualifiers [3]. Silva has previous Premier League experience managing Hull City, Watford, and Everton before joining Fulham [1].
Fulham will complete Silva’s departure when his contract ends at the close of June 2026, with an official Benfica announcement expected soon [5, 1, 2, 3, 4].
