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Concacaf concludes 2026 Refereeing Summer Seminar in Dallas 

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Refereeing Summer Seminar

MIAMI – Concacaf continued its commitment to referee development with the 2026 Concacaf Refereeing Summer Seminar in collaboration with Leagues Cup, held July 27-29 in Dallas, Texas.

The three-day seminar brought together the Confederation’s referees, assistant referees, video match officials (VMOs), instructors, and refereeing staff to prepare for Leagues Cup and international competitions during the second half of the 2026 calendar.

Coordinated in partnership with Leagues Cup, the seminar provided match officials with technical education and practical training focused on promoting consistency in decision-making and reinforcing Concacaf refereeing best practices. The initiative reflects the Confederation’s continued investment in referee development and its commitment to maintaining high standards of officiating across the region and on the international stage.

“Our success at the FIFA World Cup is not the finish line, but the foundation for what comes next,” said Nicola Rizzoli, Concacaf Director of Refereeing. “The Summer Seminar was a critical opportunity to continue that journey by educating our officials, promoting consistency, sharing best practices, and preparing them for the demands of Leagues Cup and the international competitions ahead.”

Technical Program

Led by Concacaf’s refereeing leadership and technical instructors, participants took part in a comprehensive program that included technical presentations, match incident analysis, video review sessions, VAR protocol and communication, practical field training, fitness evaluation, positioning and movement, and game management.

The sessions combined classroom instruction with practical application, providing officials with the tools and preparation needed to consistently apply the Laws of the Game throughout Concacaf and international competitions.

Seminar by the Numbers

The 2026 edition brought together 127 participants, including:

  • 111 match officials
    • 43 referees
    • 47 assistant referees
    • 21 video match officials (VMOs)
  • 12 instructional staff
  • 4 Concacaf refereeing staff
  • 19 Member Associations represented

Member Associations Represented

Aruba, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, El Salvador, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States were all represented at the seminar.