Concacaf Launches Third Edition of Refereeing Talent and Mentor Program

MIAMI – Concacaf continues its commitment to developing the next generation of match officials through the third edition of the Concacaf Refereeing Talent and Mentor Program.

The Concacaf Refereeing Talent and Mentor Program is a seven-month project that pairs 10 selected refereeing talents (from different tiers and member associations) with five experienced elite mentors with World Cup experience, creating a structured environment for accelerated refereeing development.

A key feature is the ongoing mentor–referee relationship, where mentors track performance and provide feedback across multiple domestic and international matches and learning environments.

Program Objectives

• The program emphasizes one-on-one mentorship, ensuring targeted growth rather than generic instruction. Mentorship is not just feedback—it’s ongoing performance management and support.
• The focus is on translating learning directly into better on-field performance.
• Individual specialized fitness programing, focusing on the specific needs of each referee.
• Events like Generation Adidas Cup and other international youth competitions create a controlled but demanding development environment.
• This ensures a holistic learning model (theory + application).
• The program contributes to long-term refereeing excellence in the region.

Introductory Course

The 2026 edition officially began with an Introductory Course held from March 26 to April 4 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, during the 2026 Generation Adidas Cup.

The annual tournament provided an ideal development environment for the participants, offering exposure to elite youth competition featuring MLS academies and leading clubs from around the world. The event allowed referees to apply concepts learned in the classroom while receiving direct feedback from mentors in a high-performance setting.

Program Conclusion

The program will conclude with a Consolidation Course on November 3, 2026, at the Concacaf Office in Miami, Florida, USA. The final gathering will provide an opportunity to review progress, assess development goals and reinforce key lessons learned throughout the seven-month initiative.

Refereeing Talent

The 2026 class features 10 officials representing Member Associations across the Concacaf region:

• Amaury Majors – Bermuda
• Filip Dujic – Canada
• Pablo Camacho – Costa Rica
• Minely Urena – Dominican Republic
• Waldir Garcia – El Salvador
• Kenisha Prescott - Guyana
• Selvin Brown – Honduras
• Jorge Luis Ojeda – Nicaragua
• Ray Torres – Puerto Rico
• Nikolai Nyron – Trinidad and Tobago

Refereeing Mentors

Participants will receive guidance from a distinguished group of World Cup officials:

• Joel Aguilar
• Armando Archundia
• Esse Bharmast
• Peter Prendergast
• Sandro Ricci

Fitness Mentor

• Alan Brown Morgan

By connecting emerging referees with some of the most accomplished officials in the game, the Concacaf Refereeing Talent and Mentor Program continues to strengthen the refereeing pathway throughout the region and prepare the next generation of officials for success on the international stage.