US Soccer announces Gregg Berhalter will return as coach of the men’s national team

By Kevin Dotson, CNN

(CNN) — Gregg Berhalter will return as head coach of the US Men’s National Soccer Team, US Soccer announced Friday. His new contract will run through the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted jointly by the US, Canada and Mexico.

Berhalter was named head coach of the USMNT in 2018 and led the squad to the knockout stage of the World Cup in Qatar last year, but his contract expired at the conclusion of the tournament in December.

In January, US Soccer announced it had commissioned an independent investigation into allegations of misconduct against Berhalter.

Berhalter was cleared by US Soccer in March following the completion of the investigation, which acknowledged an incident of domestic violence between Berhalter and his then-girlfriend, Rosalind, in 1992. Berhalter, who is now married to Rosalind, has previously acknowledged the incident when they were freshman at the University of North Carolina.

Investigators determined the incident was an isolated event with no evidence of similar conduct since. The investigation concluded the details of the 1992 incident do not create legal risks that would prevent an employer from hiring Berhalter.

US Soccer announced at the time that Berhalter remained a candidate to return as coach of the men’s national team.

US Soccer said Friday the federation’s sporting director Matt Cocker evaluated “a multitude of domestic and international candidates” as part of his worldwide search for the coach who would lead the USMNT to the next World Cup.

“When I started this search, my focus was on finding someone with the right vision to take this program to new heights in 2026,” Crocker said in a news release on Friday.

“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.”

“I want to thank Matt, and the entire U.S. Soccer Federation, for the trust they’ve placed in me,” Berhalter said in the news release. “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.”

Berhalter will be introduced at a news conference Friday afternoon in Las Vegas.

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