COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Crew has dismissed Crew 2 head coach Federico Higuaín following an August incident involving a female referee that resulted in a two-game MLS NEXT Pro suspension and subsequent criticism from the Professional Soccer Referees Association.
The Crew announced Higuaín’s dismissal Tuesday, Sept. 22, saying the decision followed conversations with the coach and a further review of the previous month.
“We determined it’s in the best interest of our Club, players and support staff to dismiss Federico Higuaín from his responsibilities,” Crew General Manager Issa Tall said in the club’s announcement.
The club said its assessment found that its standards for leadership had not been met.
The incident occurred after Crew 2’s Aug. 23 match against Huntsville City FC, according to multiple reports. Higuaín was subsequently investigated and disciplined by MLS NEXT Pro.
The Professional Soccer Referees Association, which represents professional soccer officials in North America, publicly criticized the league’s handling of the case on Sept. 20. The PSRA did not initially identify Higuaín by name, but subsequent reporting identified him as the coach involved.
According to the PSRA, the coach squeezed a female official’s hand and refused to release it after being told three times to stop. The association also said he told the referee, “Don’t forget, this is a man’s game.”
The referees’ union characterized the conduct as two deliberate acts of physical abuse and sexism and argued that the disciplinary response did not go far enough.
MLS NEXT Pro confirmed that it had investigated the incident. The league said the coach’s conduct violated its policies and warranted additional discipline beyond the red card issued during the match.
Higuaín received a two-game suspension and was required to participate in a multi-session restorative-practices program, according to the league statement reported by ESPN and other outlets.
The league defended its process, saying the restorative program was intended to promote understanding, accountability, respect and the restoration of relationships.
The dispute over the length of the suspension became public after the PSRA challenged the league’s decision. The union argued that the conduct should have resulted in more severe discipline under standards it cited from U.S. Soccer.
That disagreement is separate from the Crew’s decision to remove Higuaín. The club ultimately determined that he should no longer lead Crew 2.
Higuaín had already served the suspension
Higuaín had served the two-game suspension before the Crew announced his dismissal, according to reporting from ESPN and other outlets.
The suspension covered Crew 2 matches after the Aug. 23 game. The disciplinary action was not publicly announced at the time, according to subsequent reports.
MLS NEXT Pro said the red card issued during the incident counted toward the overall suspension and that Higuaín was also required to complete the restorative-practices program.
The PSRA’s criticism focused in part on how the league interpreted its disciplinary standards. The association said a forceful grab and discriminatory conduct warranted stronger punishment.
MLS NEXT Pro, however, said it was confident in its investigative and disciplinary process.
The league’s position and the PSRA’s criticism therefore differed over the appropriate disciplinary response, while both accounts acknowledged that the coach had been disciplined following an investigation.
Our statement regarding @MLSNEXTPRO and their handling of a recent disciplinary issue: pic.twitter.com/nk8qKpkSsL
— PSRA Officials (@PSRAofficials) September 20, 2026
Crew 2 will enter the playoffs without Higuaín
Higuaín’s departure comes as Crew 2 prepares for the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro playoffs.
The Columbus organization said the team’s technical staff will assume additional responsibilities during the postseason while the club searches for a full-time replacement.
Higuaín became Crew 2’s head coach ahead of the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season. Before returning to Columbus, he spent two seasons coaching Inter Miami CF II and helped that team reach the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs in 2024.
His connection to Columbus runs much deeper than his coaching role.
Higuaín played eight seasons for the Crew from 2012 through 2019 and remains one of the most statistically accomplished players in club history. The team says he recorded 55 regular-season goals and 63 assists for Columbus and remains the club’s all-time regular-season leader in assists.
He later played for D.C. United and Inter Miami before retiring as a player in 2022.
The Crew appointed him to lead its reserve side in January 2025, describing him at the time as someone who understood the club’s player-development pathway.
What remains unresolved
The Crew’s dismissal settles Higuaín’s status with the organization, but the public record around the underlying incident remains based largely on the league’s disciplinary findings, the referees’ union’s account, and subsequent reporting.
The Crew’s dismissal statement did not publicly provide a detailed account of the incident or identify the referee involved.
MLS NEXT Pro said its investigation found that Higuaín’s conduct violated league policies. The PSRA separately described the behavior as physical abuse and sexism and challenged the severity of the resulting suspension.
The club has not announced a permanent replacement for Higuaín.
For now, Crew 2’s existing technical staff will handle additional responsibilities through the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro playoffs while Columbus begins its search for a new head coach.
About The Author
