After Copa América exit, U.S. fan group calls for Gregg Berhalter’s job

Favored to reach the quarterfinals, the U.S. team was eliminated in the group stage of the 16-team tournament after losing its final two matches. On Monday, a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay in Kansas City, Mo., combined with Panama’s 3-1 victory over Bolivia in Orlando, sent Uruguay and Panama to the next stage.

Shortly after the Uruguay match, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced: “Our tournament performance fell short of our expectations. We must do better. We will be conducting a comprehensive review of our performance in Copa América and how best to improve the team and results as we look towards the 2026 World Cup.”

Sporting Director Matt Crocker, who rehired Berhalter in June 2023, is expected to complete the review next week. The team is not scheduled to play again until September.

Berhalter, 50, is in his second term after guiding the U.S. team to the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Since his reappointment last summer, he has a 7-6-1 record — 3-5-1 in the past nine matches, including a 2-1 loss to Panama last Thursday in which the Americans played shorthanded most of the game after Tim Weah’s red card.

The only victory in the past five games was against Bolivia, South America’s worst team, in the Copa América opener.

Featuring Argentina, Brazil and other South American titans, Copa América provided the most competitive environment for the U.S. program before the 2026 World Cup is staged in the United States, Mexico and Canada. It also offered the opportunity to attract new fans to the team and the sport.

“American soccer fandom is ready to reach levels we’ve never seen before, but we continue to miss opportunities,” the American Outlaws said. “… Change is necessary to prepare to compete at a home World Cup. We cannot miss this incredible chance to create a lasting impact on the game of soccer in this country, and we feel that a new head coach is an important step at this point.”

Founded in 2007, the American Outlaws boast more than 30,000 members in 200 chapters, including a few overseas. In varying numbers, fans travel to venues around the country and the world for pregame festivities and synchronized support inside stadiums. Boosted by the American Outlaws, U.S. men’s and women’s teams have enjoyed large fan support at recent World Cups.

Note: B.J. Callaghan, Berhalter’s top assistant, was appointed head coach of Nashville SC. He had reached an agreement with the MLS organization before Copa América. That also was the case with goalkeepers coach Fabian Otte, who left the U.S. team to join Liverpool.