Craig Harrington officially out as Utah Royals FC Head Coach

It’s official. The club announced today that Craig Harrington is no longer the head coach of Utah Royals FC, terminating his contract.

Harrington was placed on administrative leave on September 20th, tying Harrington to the toxic culture in the organization.

A few weeks later, The Equalizer Extra, a paid feature at The Equalizer, reported the inevitable.

The report was straightforward with the news: “Multiple sources confirmed to The Equalizer that Craig Harrington is permanently out as head coach of Utah Royals FC.”

The club, at the time, reached out to RSL Soapbox to address the report:

The club’s official response is: Utah Royals FC Head Coach Craig Harrington has been placed on a temporary leave of absence from team activities, including upcoming matches. This matter is ongoing and is unrelated to the investigation underway by [the] NWSL.

He has not been fired and the investigation is still ongoing.

Today, the Club has issued the following statement on the termination of Harrington:

“Utah Royals FC is proud to represent the state of Utah nationally and across the globe. Utah Royals FC takes this responsibility seriously, and have committed to keeping the community and its fans apprised of team developments. After careful review and consideration, the Club has decided to part ways with head coach Craig Harrington. Amy LePeilbet will continue as Interim Head Coach until further notice. As Coach LePeilbet has already demonstrated, she is well-positioned to serve in this interim role and embodies the Club’s dedication to the highest standards of conduct, civility, and professionalism.”

The club has also issued the following statement on the status of Louis Lancaster:

“Separately, the club announced that Louis Lancaster has returned as assistant coach with Utah Royals FC.

Harrington was hired in February and led URFC through the 2020 Challenge Cup.