Anthony Hudson will coach the United States men’s soccer team rather than Gregg Berhalter ahead of the first two matches of the cycle leading to the 2026 World Cup.
The U.S. Soccer Federation announced on Tuesday it was investigating Berhalter for a 1991 domestic violence incident involving the woman who became his wife.
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Hudson will lead the team ahead of exhibitions against Serbia on Jan. 25 in Los Angeles and Colombia three days later in Carson, California, USSF sporting director Earnie Stewart said on Wednesday.
Hudson, 41, was hired as coach of the U.S. Under-20 team in January 2020, and a year later became an assistant coach to Berhalter, whose contract with the USMNT expired on Dec. 31.
The USSF said its assessment of the 2018-22 cycle and the investigation of Berhalter are ongoing and said on Tuesday it learned of the allegation against Berhalter on Dec. 11 and hired the law firm Alston & Bird to investigate.
“Through this process, U.S. Soccer has learned about potential inappropriate behavior towards multiple members of our staff by individuals outside of our organization,” the USSF said.
Berhalter said on Tuesday a person contacted the USSF “saying that they had information about me that would ‘take me down.” He also said in his statement that his 1991 behavior was “shameful” and that he was “looking forward to continuing my conversations with U.S. Soccer about the future.”
Hudson’s staff will include U.S. assistant coach B.J. Callaghan and current U.S. Under-20 coach Mikey Varas. Luchi Gonzalez, the other American assistant coach, agreed last summer to become coach of MLS side San Jose Earthquakes following the World Cup.
Hudson also coached at fifth-tier Newport in England in 2011, Bahrain’s national team in 2013 and 2014, New Zealand’s national team from 2014-17 and Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids from 2017-19.