MLS Coach Fired Following Accusations of ‘Squeezing’ Female Referee’s Hand and Not Letting Go, Then Using Sexist Remark

Anna Lazarus CaplanWed, September 23, 2026 at 6:20 PM UTC

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Federico HiguaínCredit: Andrew Katsampes/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty -

An MLS coach has been fired amid allegations of sexist conduct and physical abuse involving a female referee

The Columbus Crew fired Federico Higuaín on Tuesday, Sept. 22

Higuaín had previously served a two-game suspension after the incident, which happened during a game

An MLS soccer team has fired a reserve coach after he allegedly acted inappropriately with a female referee during a game.

The Columbus Crew fired Federico Higuaín, the head coach of its reserve Columbus Crew 2 team, on Tuesday, Sept. 22 after allegations of sexist conduct and physical abuse involving a match official, according to the .

Higuaín, 41, had already served a two-game suspension after the incident ahead of his dismissal.

“We determined it’s in the best interest of our club, players and support staff to dismiss Federico Higuaín from his responsibilities,” Issa Tall, Columbus Crew’s general manager, said in a statement.

Tall continued, “After conversations this week and further assessing the past month, our club’s standards of what’s expected from a leader for one of our teams have not been met.”

The incident occurred at an MLS NEXT Pro match on Aug. 23, according to a statement from the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA), which described the interaction without naming Higuaín as the alleged instigator.

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Federico HiguaínCredit: Andrew Katsampes/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty

The PSRA shared that a male coach had been banned for two games after squeezing a female official’s hand and refusing to let go. The association added the coach told the referee: “Don’t forget, this is a man’s game.”

Higuaín, the brother of former Argentina and Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuaín, had been the reserve coach since January 2025.

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The PSRA said MLS NEXT Pro fell “drastically short of the right message to the participants, the referees, and the public” in its initial two-game suspension of Higuaín.

“Women make every level of this game better,” the PSRA statement said. “They should not have to endure intimidation or degrading comments to prove it. Our female officials have proven their excellence on the world stage.

The organization concluded: “They deserve the same respect, dignity, and safe working environment as every other official.”

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Source: “AOL Sports”