BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC — The 2025 CFU Subsequent Era Referee Course is about to start from January 17-19, hosted by the Barbados Soccer Affiliation (BFA). Now in its fourth yr, this initiative welcomes 22 match officers representing 15 Member Associations throughout the Caribbean.
Launched in 2022 with help from Concacaf, this system gives Caribbean referees with the required expertise to advance to the FIFA Worldwide Refereeing Checklist. The course combines theoretical instruction with on-field coaching to appoint members to the distinguished FIFA ranks.
Victor Moore, Head of Refereeing for the BFA, expressed pleasure in internet hosting this yr’s program.
“We look ahead to the 2025 version with excessive expectations. This initiative aligns completely with the CFU and CONCACAF goal to arrange a talented panel of match officers for FIFA-recognized tournaments, together with the World Cup,” he remarked.
This system is spearheaded by CFU Referee Committee member Dave Meikle and a seasoned staff of instructors, together with Kelesha Antoine, FIFA Health Refereeing Teacher; Dianne Ferreira-James, FIFA Technical Teacher; Victor Stewart, CFU Teacher; Ishan Philip, Concacaf Technical Teacher and Rohan Thobourne: Concacaf Health Teacher.
Including to the lineup, FIFA match officers and World Cup candidates Odette Hamilton (Jamaica) and Crystal Sobers (Trinidad and Tobago) will mentor the members.
Over the three-day course, officers will bear intensive coaching classes within the classroom and on the sphere. Afterward, this system transitions to a web-based format, providing custom-made mentorship and progress monitoring.
Contributors might also be appointed to competitions, such because the CFU Ladies U-14 Problem Sequence, offering further sensible publicity.
The Subsequent Gen initiative has already made vital strides, with eight referees from earlier cohorts debuting on the 2025 FIFA Worldwide Refereeing listing. Amongst them are McManaman Bedeau (Grenada), Cleon Cully (Barbados), and Jaselle Louison (Barbados).
CFU President Randolph Harris praised this system’s success. “We’ve witnessed exceptional progress. Lots of our referees have secured match appointments, superior by means of the Concacaf Academy, and joined the FIFA ranks. The collaborative effort between the CFU, Concacaf, and Member Associations has been instrumental in attaining these milestones.”
