The Chicago Fire has officially appointed Gregg Berhalter, former head coach of the U.S. men’s national team, as the club’s new director of football and head coach. This announcement came on Tuesday.
At 51 years old, Berhalter takes on the role as the 10th full-time manager in the history of the MLS club, where he will oversee all sporting operations and report directly to owner Joe Mansueto.
Mansueto expressed confidence in Berhalter’s leadership, stating, “After a thorough and detailed search that included a number of exceptional candidates, it became clear that Gregg Berhalter was the right choice to lead our sporting operations. His previous success in MLS and his experience leading the U.S. Men’s National Team over the last six years make him an ideal fit for our vision for the club moving forward.”
Berhalter previously coached the Columbus Crew from 2013 to 2018, where he successfully guided the team to the playoffs four times and reached the MLS Cup final in 2015. He succeeds Frank Klopas, who is stepping down after the Fire’s regular season finale on October 19 and will transition to a new position as vice president of football.
Currently, the Chicago Fire holds the last position in the Eastern Conference with a record of 7 wins, 17 losses, and 9 draws, accumulating 30 points.
Expressing his gratitude for the opportunity, Berhalter said, “I’m honored to be named director of football and head coach of the Chicago Fire. Chicago is an incredible city, built on communities of hard-working and passionate people who truly love soccer. I look forward to working alongside our staff and players to transform the Fire into a world-class organization that all our fans and the city can be proud of and will support.”
During his tenure with the USMNT, Berhalter led the team to win three major trophies, including the CONCACAF Nations League titles in 2019-20 and 2023-24, and the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He also managed the team through the 2022 FIFA World Cup, finishing with an overall record of 44 wins, 17 losses, and 13 draws, before parting ways with USA Soccer in July 2024 following an early exit in the Copa America group stage.