Columbus Crew 2 coach fired after ‘deliberate acts of physical abuse and sexism’ against female ref
The Columbus Crew has fired its reserve manager, Federico Higuaín, following a suspension that stemmed from an incident of postgame misconduct with a female referee.
“We determined it’s in the best interest of our club, players and support staff to dismiss Federico Higuaín from his responsibilities,” Columbus Crew general manager Issa Tall said in a statement. “After conversations this week and further assessing the past month, our club’s standard of what’s expected from a leader for one of our teams have not been met.”
Higuaín was hired as manager of the Columbus Crew 2, the Columbus’ Crew’s reserve team, in January of 2025.
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On Aug. 23, Higuaín refused to let go of a female referee’s hand during a postgame handshake, despite being asked multiple times to do so. He allegedly told her, “Don’t forget that this is a man’s game.” Higuaín was originally suspended for two games.
The Professional Soccer Referees Association issued a statement about the incident over the weekend, characterizing Higuaín’s actions as “two deliberate acts of physical abuse and sexism against a female official.”
The Crew 2 have not named a replacement manager, noting in a statement that their technical staff will “assume additional responsibilities” heading into the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs.
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