Gregg Berhalter was fired as U.S. men’s soccer coach on Wednesday after his team’s first-round exit from the Copa America flamed doubts he was the right person to remain in charge for the 2026 World Cup.

Berhalter’s second term as coach was cut short 10 months after he returned to the bench with high hopes and proclaimed the team’s goal was “to change soccer in America forever.” The U.S. had seven wins, six losses and one draw in his second stint, leaving his overall record at 44 wins, 17 losses and 13 draws.

Sporting director Matt Crocker rehired Berhalter and also will make the recommendation on his replacement. The team next plays in September friendlies against Canada and New Zealand.

Just 23 months remain before the World Cup comes to the United States for the second time and the Americans play their opener at Inglewood, California, on June 12, 2026. The only competitive matches with the full player pool before then likely will be in the CONCACAF Nations League.

Berhalter, who turns 51 on Aug. 1, was the first American to coach the national team after playing for the team at a World Cup. He was hired to coach the U.S. in December 2018 after stints with Sweden’s Hammarby (2011-13) and Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew (2013-18).

He led the U.S. to titles in the CONCACAF Nations League in 2020, 2023 and 2024 and to another with a B team in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

That support led to Crocker rehiring Berhalter five months after his initial contract expired amid an investigation of a decades-old domestic violence allegation that was brought to the USSF’s attention by the Reyna family, which was upset that Berhalter limited Gio Reyna’s playing time at the World Cup. A law firm retained by the USSF said there was no legal obstacle to bringing Berhalter back.

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