Gregg Berhalter will return as the coach of the U.S. men’s national team through the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced Friday.
Berhalter, 49, led the USMNT to the round of 16 in the World Cup last November in Qatar. He coached the world’s youngest team into the 2022 World Cup, and the Americans advanced from their group with strong matches against Wales, Iran and England.
“When I started this search, my focus was on finding someone with the right vision to take this program to new heights in 2026,” said Matt Crocker, U.S. Soccer sporting director.
“Gregg has that vision, as well as the experience and growth mindset on and off the field to move this team forward. Appointing the right head coach for a national team is a crucial decision that reflects U.S. Soccer’s identity and lays the foundation to grow soccer across the country for years to come. I am confident that Gregg is the right person for the job and looking forward to working in partnership with him.”
Berhalter, who has led the USMNT since 2019, already is looking ahead.
“I want to thank Matt, and the entire U.S. Soccer Federation, for the trust they’ve placed in me,” Berhalter said. “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to build on our achievements at the World Cup and to contribute to this exciting time for soccer in our country. The entire group of players and staff have worked incredibly hard to establish our identity on and off the field. We look forward to continuing our journey together to make our fans and our nation proud.”
Berhalter’s future had been in question since the end of 2022, though.
Berhalter came under fire at the World Cup when he surprisingly limited the playing time of Gio Reyna, one of the squad’s most talented players. The coach later unwittingly leaked the news that Reyna was nearly sent home from Qatar for a lack of effort in training.
In December, Reyna’s parents, longtime friends of Berhalter, told U.S. Soccer about an alleged domestic violence involving Berhalter and his wife, Rosalind, when they were dating while attending the University of North Carolina in 1992. An investigation of the alleged 30-year-old incident by U.S. Soccer cleared Berhalter for a potential return as manager.
The USMNT has been led in the interim by Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan. Hudson left for a head coaching opportunity in the Middle East in May and was replaced by Callaghan, who had been an assistant for USMNT for four years.
Callaghan will continue to lead the team in Sunday’s Concacaf Nations League final against Canada on Sunday, U.S. Soccer said.
“This isn’t just business as usual and going back to how things have been in the past,” Crocker said. “We have a unique opportunity to evolve the team and improve moving forward, and I want us to take the time to consider how we do that collectively in partnership with Gregg. With that as our focus, B.J. will continue to lead through the Nations League Final and the Gold Cup tournament this summer while I work collectively with Gregg on some of the big-picture items away from the team. We’re all excited to start that process while continuing to support B.J., the players, and the entire staff as they look to earn two more trophies in the coming month.”
“As a former player and coach, I know how important a head coach is to set high standards and create a cohesive, winning and hard-working culture,” U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone said. “I know those are important parts of Gregg’s philosophy. He knows the player pool better than anyone, and wearing the crest means a great deal to him. I am confident in Matt Crocker’s thorough search process to identify the best candidate and know Gregg will lead the team toward a winning future.”
–Field Level Media