# Columbus Crew 2 fires Higuain after fallout from ref abuse

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-09-23 05:40 UTC · Category: Sports

## Executive Summary
Columbus Crew 2 fires head coach Federico Higuaín following a fallout over referee abuse.

## Intelligence Brief
According to coverage from outlets including The Guardian, BBC, The Columbus Dispatch, Cleveland.com, Yahoo Sports, the Columbus Crew organization, and ESPN, Columbus Crew has dismissed Crew 2 Head Coach Federico Higuaín. The firing comes after an incident involving a female referee. Coverage notes that Higuaín made a remark to the referee stating that soccer is a man's game. Reports detail that the Columbus Crew organization took action by sacking and firing the coach following the fallout from the referee abuse incident.


The coverage heavily emphasizes the nature of the remarks and the subsequent organizational decisions. Outlets such as Yahoo Sports report that the Professional Soccer Referees Association slammed MLS NEXT Pro regarding a shortened suspension initially given to the head coach before his dismissal. The reports across The Guardian, BBC, The Columbus Dispatch, Cleveland.com, Columbus Crew official releases, and ESPN document both the initial disciplinary measures and the ultimate termination of the manager by the club. Background context provided within the headlines establishes that Federico Higuaín previously served as a former Crew star before taking on the role of Crew 2 coach.


The sequence of events outlined by the reporting indicates that an incident occurred with a female referee during a match, leading to an initial suspension before escalating into a full dismissal by the Columbus Crew organization and drawing criticism from referee associations over disciplinary handling. As the situation develops, readers and analysts are left to monitor further official statements from league authorities, the Professional Soccer Referees Association, and the Columbus Crew organization. Coverage does not yet specify the full long-term fallout for MLS NEXT Pro leadership regarding the criticized suspension length, nor does it detail any subsequent legal or formal appeals by the dismissed coach.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| The Guardian | Columbus Crew sack coach Federico Higuaín for ‘man’s game’ jibe aimed at female referee | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMizgFBVV95cUxNQ0tQZnZmQTdBRTB6SDJRN2NXLU95OHU4TGdSVVFYdEZkQ1Z5Y01QOVc5RFh6ZjhLbGNDTXdYblI4X1BqUW5mVkVSdFdfV2R6ejVmc29YbG9rY19GS3dlWEUtZEVnWWxzRjRrYngxVjZnbWQ4ampveVlueWdMU0hNSlJVTEo4ek5KWGRWSkFWT0R4NW1HUHVrUzZONmxhaVU3ajRzdk9tTVRwZjNBVE96NkRUZ0ZWY1ViWWFwQVlSa1lrMmwtN0NsVW9CVE9kdw?oc=5) |
| BBC | Columbus Crew sack Federico Higuain after sexist remark to female referee | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiaEFVX3lxTFBheURXYmRVZUlDcnJPczRwUTM2YV9RUHE1T3lTYjZKYk8xNWgtSkhRTmI1SmxSb3NiYVdHeGt2OHRfUEVQa3ZkU1ZIdTZQSk5SeTB0aDNkSXkyOHVlcy02RVZjQ2Eyemc3?oc=5) |
| The Columbus Dispatch | Former Crew star Federico Higuain suspended as Crew2 coach for incident with female referee | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi3wFBVV95cUxQaXl0blBvNGdJUXRFY0dRdi1rVWoyMlJ3OHRKRHZSOWsxaVh6Q24wMmk2azZkamJyY0Y3dHpfLWlLTVhWdW9DTDNzVk1LOWFNUWJHV18tSVRBWU5KX0I4NVJhYXE2QjdXVlJhc0JPdVZEc1JUU25fZlF0Ymhxa293cWVKMXNQVk5hS25zekJmVC1FN242dTh5TjVmNmM2cjh0eUFlMFJRdjJhVXN1T1RnQ0pYbkVhQ0taS1h6bTJONm9rUmFaeVNDRk9OT2htSnMzUXZ2dHhyMjJSUThpMlNz?oc=5) |
| Cleveland.com | Columbus Crew fires Crew 2 manager after referee incident | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi2AFBVV95cUxNWmhtaUNpWHRPcmdPYjRndUNaVGliS0lCa0FGNW5DM1lEVWFSbFpmMURoZnFpejA4VGs0dURnMXU0ajFmTF93dzIzVWtDNW43M0dWZi0xU0lleV9adXBVTzBXVV92UnNoWDdwVDl6R3FXWFFwek14dEpqYkY3NElQc0xBbXQ2ZDVOZm02V05lcHk2UnlJYWVMTkFHVmkzcFliRnNIU1NVV2c2VFlxVHdTakVTRU4xY2ZqOGlXT05nUEtHMnNsaWZqd20yaldsT1hQRWRDbUtCZkU?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports | PSRA slams MLS NEXT Pro for shortened suspension of head coach who allegedly told female referee that soccer 'is a man's game' | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiigJBVV95cUxPa2o2NGlzalQzckFuWVdIRUZOZzN5VDNVQjk5R21GZEVQZTBiN0JrVXd5LUNxMFpLb1E5cmczd0R6d3FRcEVkajh0WmZxU2hkZ1VPTFhJVFhJVDVsWUpCM0xxNUtaWWFpejJhVEdqWi1WRThodGN0RFhjRE1Ja0JTcnVxRnZESFNQRDlKaThpbTZLSnJ0RHRSMlJoQkRuQWNrZzBsRzJ6TTlUcEFCM0p1NWNKNXVjRHRYWWNNTUFxOGY0cGNyclk0c0FiWmxHa1NydDVxSk96SmpTb2NiOHVDcVpBNTVPbm5rVVhLVlJldDU2bDNUWjVTQ245bEhJNEZkNDJxS2E2VjFFZw?oc=5) |
| Columbus Crew | Columbus Crew dismiss Crew 2 Head Coach Federico Higuaín | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMifEFVX3lxTE03a29VYm42Z3N4X09qdWhMZm5ETFVLUUN2QW9Xa0I3ck5kZWU1RGpIUnQ1T21WVzhvUnA3TEd4TmJDY2g2ZzNwTThaYW5jMEVVZnlOZGkzUVZKN3B1MmFmV0FDWDBhdUEwZFN1ZkRhR2hzZVI0VEIxVTBGRms?oc=5) |
| ESPN | Columbus Crew 2 fires Higuain after fallout from ref abuse | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimwFBVV95cUxPaGFYcGtYbldVSlREYVdtUjY3REJzLXlfNzl5RXI2MXdrMEg5YnlfN2RkTTNsT1VscEZZaWdpUV9mSVNuNEdmS0RWWWh6Q0h1dEpHQ3lXUUlsOWowaFZmX3NVVDJRVkNFT1J6VFFINU9LUjE5MkNuTnljTWlzSzEwWVAwVkR6ekZLUk02bnpSUmEyaXpieFpnblprQQ?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoaiapps.com/trend/2026-09-23/columbus-crew-2-fires-higuain-after-fallout-from-ref-abuse*