Gregg Berhalter is FIRED as USA manager after embarrassing Copa America exit – sparking rebuild ahead of 2026 World Cup on home soil

Gregg Berhalter has been fired as manager of the United States Men’s National Team, just days after his team were dumped out of Copa America in the group stages.

Berhalter’s second stint in charge of his country ends after just 14 games, and following back-to-back Copa America defeats by Panama and Uruguay.

Fans’ clamor for the 50-year-old to be fired reached fever pitch in the days following the embarrassing exit, and US Soccer chiefs have now pulled the trigger.

The decision – first reported by FOX Sports and later confirmed by the team – will spark a major rebuild just two years out from the US hosting the World Cup – alongside Mexico and Canada – in 2026.

Last week, DailyMail.com columnist Tim Howard led the charge for the US to hire former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp as its next head coach. 

The US were dumped out of Copa America in the groups after defeats by Panama and Uruguay

In a statement on Wednesday evening, the US Soccer Federation announced the decision ‘effective immediately’.

‘I want to thank Gregg for his hard work and dedication to U.S. Soccer and our Men’s National Team,’ US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said. ‘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.’

In a statement sent to Mail Sport, Berhalter also responded to the news he’d been fired, noting: ‘I want to thank the US Soccer Federation for entrusting me to lead this team for the past five years — 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 our players, coaches, and staff members. 

Fans made their feelings clear about the future of Gregg Berhalter from the stands in Kansas

USA fans are desperate for Jurgen Klopp to get the job now that Berhalter has been fired

‘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.’

In his first spell in charge of the US, from December 2018 to December 2022, Berhalter won 61 percent of his 60 games in charge, but that win percentage dropped to 50 percent in his second tenure of just 11 months.

Berhalter’s contract previously expired at the end of the World Cup in 2022, and he became embroiled in an off-field scandal involving his former team-mate Claudio Reyna.

Berhalter criticized Reyna’s son Gio – a member of the US team at the World Cup – which led to his mother Danielle informing US Soccer chiefs of a 1992 domestic violence incident involving Berhalter and his then-girlfriend, now-wife.

That sparked a long investigation that kept Berhalter away from the team for six months, before he was officially reinstated for a second spell in charge.

In the past week, multiple US soccer legends have called for Berhalter to be replaced as head coach after the team failed to get out of their Copa America group. 

Speaking on FOX Sports after the game, Clint Dempsey said: ‘I’m at a loss for words, it’s so frustrating. You have a team that you’re rooting on and you want to do well… but where have we come since 2022? 

‘You qualify for the World Cup, get out of the group… and where have we progressed? We haven’t. That’s the most frustrating part. 

Clint Dempsey didn’t hold back in his assessment of the US Men’s National Team on Monday

‘This is our golden generation and it looks like we’re wasting it. 2026 is coming up, you’re never going to get this opportunity again. ’94 we had it, we’re going to have it here, but then you don’t know when that next time is going to come.’

Alongside him, Alexi Lalas also weighed in and slammed manager Berhalter after another poor showing. 

‘If this is as good as it gets, it’s not good enough,’ the ex-USA midfielder said. ‘This is not good enough from Gregg Berhalter… we can’t afford to be embarrassed, and we can’t afford to arrive in the summer of 2026 with a team that has not progressed, that has not evolved, and has not improved. 

‘I’m sure if Gregg Berhalter was here, he would say, “Oh but you don’t see what’s happening inside.” I don’t give a CRAP what’s happening inside. I don’t care about the dynamic, I don’t care how much your players love you.’