Crew dismiss first-year coach Henrik Rydstrom after slow start

Field Level Media
18 May 2026, 22:49 GMT+10

(Photo credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images)

The Columbus Crew fired head coach Henrik Rydstrom after less than five months on the job.

The team parted ways with Rydstrom, assistant coach Theodor Olsson and analyst Mak Pakhei on Sunday after just three wins in its first 14 games this season.

Assistant Laurent Courtois was named interim coach for the Crew (3-7-4, 13 points), who sit 13th in the Eastern Conference.

Rydstrom, 50, was hired on Dec. 31 to replace Wilfried Nancy, who led the Crew to the 2023 MLS Cup and 2024 Leagues Cup titles. Rydstrom previously coached Malmo, Kalmar FF and IK Sirius in his native Sweden.

'We unfortunately have not capitalized on opportunities or produced the results that our club and supporters deserve,' Crew general manager Issa Tall said in a news release. 'We are confident that we have the talent on our roster to consistently compete for championships, and we believe this change best positions us to accomplish that goal with the number of matches we have left this season.

'We thank Henrik for his commitment to the Crew, and we expect a successful transition based on Laurent's familiarity with our club, players and league.'

Courtois, 47, coached CF Montreal from 2024-25 and guided the team to an MLS Cup playoff spot in 2024. He led affiliate Columbus Crew 2 to the MLS Next Pro title in 2022.

Courtois will debut as the interim manager for the Crew when they host New York City FC in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday night.

--Field Level Media

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