RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Former University of North Carolina men’s soccer player Gregg Berhalter is out of the job as head coach of the U.S. men’s national team.
Berhalter was fired as the USMNT head coach following the team’s stunning early departure from the 2024 Copa America last week, according to a report from The Associated Press.
U.S. Soccer confirmed the announcement on Wednesday, stating the decision is effective immediately.
“I want to thank the U.S. Soccer Federation for entrusting me to lead this team for the past five years,” Berhalter said in a statement. “Representing our country is a tremendous honor and I am proud of the identity we have built on and off the field. It was very gratifying watching this team improve over the years and I remain grateful for the lifetime bonds created with out players, coaches, and staff members. The Copa America result is extremely disappointing and I take full responsibility for our performance. Our approach and process was always focused on the 2026 World Cup and I remain confident that this group will be one of the great stories in 2026.”
“I want to thank Gregg for his hard work and dedication to U.S. Soccer and our men’s national team,” U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said in a news release. “We are now focused on working with our sporting director Matt Crocker and leveraging his experience at the highest levels of the sport to ensure we find the right person to lead the USMNT into a new era of on-field success.”
The U.S. failed to advance out of group play at the world’s oldest international tournament for the first time since 2007. This elimination sparked doubts about Berhalter’s leadership heading into the 2026 World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico.
Originally hired in December 2018, Berhalter took helm of a team that failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia earlier the same year. He spearheaded the U.S. back to international relevancy four years later and secured a spot in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, eventually falling to the Netherlands in the Round of 16.
Since being rehired in June 2023 for the upcoming World Cup cycle, the team struggled mightily over the course of his second stint, compiling only a 7-6-1 record.
Berhalter ends his tenure after guiding the USMNT to win the 2021 Gold Cup and two Concacaf Nations League titles.
“We are deeply grateful to Gregg for his commitment the past five years to the men’s national team and to U.S. Soccer,” Crocker said in a news release. “Gregg has earned the respect of everyone within our organization and has played a pivotal role in bringing together a young team and moving the program forward. We wish Gregg all the best in his future endeavors, and we know he will find success in his next coaching position.”
“Our immediate focus is on finding a coach who can maximize our potential as we continue to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, and we have already begun our search process,” Crocker added.
During his college playing days in Chapel Hill, Berhalter led the Tar Heels to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. He also finished with 13 goals and 10 assists, while earning All-American honors in 1992 and 1993. Berhalter was ranked as one of the top 50 players in ACC history in 2002.
Berhalter concludes his reign as the U.S. head coach with 44 wins, 17 losses and 13 ties.