Concacaf Referee & Instructor Academy Continues to Build the Next Generation of Match Officials
MIAMI – Concacaf continued its commitment to referee development with the 2026 Concacaf Referee & Instructor Academy Consolidation Course, held from July 27 to August 7 in Santiago, Dominican Republic, in conjunction with the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games.
The course brought together 23 participants representing 19 Concacaf Member Associations, providing referees and instructors with an opportunity to continue their technical, physical and instructional development while gaining practical experience in the environment of a major international sporting event.
The program featured the eighth class of participants in the Concacaf Referee Academy, comprising 13 referees, and the third class of participants in the Concacaf Instructor Academy, which included eight technical instructors and two fitness instructors.
Together, the two academies support Concacaf’s long-term approach to strengthening refereeing across the region by developing both match officials and the instructors who help prepare the next generation, creating pathways toward the highest levels of international football.
“The commitment and work this group has demonstrated since the introductory course in Panama in January has been outstanding. We have seen significant progress in both their technical and physical development during the Consolidation Course. The Academy continues to serve as a critical pipeline not only for referees, but also for the instructors who will develop the next generation of match officials across Concacaf and its Member Associations,” said Lance VanHaitsma, Concacaf Refereeing Technical and Development Senior Manager.
Referee Academy – Generation VIII
The eighth class Concacaf Referee Academy participants featured 13 referees:
- Arron Stamper — Aruba
- Shemroy Allie — Antigua & Barbuda
- Salma Flores-Desrochers — Canada
- Roger Vindas — Costa Rica
- Michael Kirindongo — Curaçao
- Katia Flores — El Salvador
- Jordan Chaibriant — Guadeloupe
- Juan Manuel Morales — Guatemala
- Melvin Matmoros — Honduras
- Kesla Anderson — Jamaica
- Emmanuel Ambroise — Martinique
- Maykell Ramos — Panama
- Akil Weekes — Trinidad & Tobago
Instructor Academy – Generation III
The third class of Concacaf Instructor Academy participants included eight technical instructors and two fitness instructors.
Technical
- Abner Alvarez — Belize
- Jermaine May — British Virgin Islands
- Hugo Cruz — Costa Rica
- Cibeles Miranda — El Salvador
- Gregory Prevot — French Guiana
- Karitza Guerra — Honduras
- Leonel Garcia — Panama
- Robert Ferrell II — US Virgin Islands
Fitness
- Ashon Rolle — Bahamas
- Dwayne Simpson — Cayman Islands
