Wow. I've never seen an altercation so big that the cameraman literally took his headset off and peaced out. Smart move.
Yea, you'll regularly hear comments about how some of the white badges from other countries wouldn't be Regional Referees in the USA. In fact, there was a FIFA referee from New Zealand who came back to referee at Dallas Cup. He grew up in NTX. When he left NTX to NZ, he was a grade 7, in the old system. He whistled a Super Group game and it wasnt great. He told me directly that he'd only gotten that assignment because of his badge. Had he still been in NTX, he'd be a Regional getting U15s. FWIW
https://www.reddit.com/r/sports/comments/1oy8yag/usa_and_paraguay_starting_fighting_during_their/ Video
If I put an opposing player in a headlock in a game you’re refereeing, what color is the card you show me?
So there are multiple FIFA referees in New Zealand who also grew up in north Texas (conger is from Plano in north Texas)? That’s very interesting.
I don’t want to shit on him, but having been a contemporary I am confident saying he never would have been the US WC referee. And I actually really doubt he’d have made FIFA here. He was good for OFC. He made a career. But if he went through the USSF and PRO ranks I think it’s 50/50 at best he makes FIFA. Impossible to analyze or predict the alternative but I do think it’s safe to say he didn’t make the World Cup on some raw and undeniable talent.
From the one MLS game he whistled (was it more than one?), he was solid, but he didn't blow me away. He wasn't head and shoulders above the non-FIFA referees we have. Rising through the ranks of US soccer and getting a FIFA badge is no joke and significantly harder than in many countries in the world. One its a pure math thing. What does the US have? 100K registered referees? What does New Zealand have? 1,000 if that? So you have to be 7 out out of 100,000 in the US versus 5 out of 1,000 in New Zealand (are there even 1,000 referees in New Zealand?). In New Zealand and other countries you can pretty much just be a weekend warrior and not have to choose between refereeing and your day job/livelihood until you get to really the highest level because the travel demands aren't there. In most countries you can leave the day of the game and be back in your bed the same day. Even at the USL level you have to leave Friday night to make a Saturday night game (or Tuesday night to make a Wednesday night game) and then you lose half the day next day getting back home. All while doing it for shit pay and no salary (I think its still the case of no salary for BU2 guys). Essentially you're giving up 2.5 days per game. In New Zealand or England for example, you're giving up, about, at most 1.5 days per game. We've had some really good referees who gave up refereeing because they couldn't make refereeing and their career work at the same time. It's not a coincidence that the guys coming up through the PRO ranks are having less and less of what you call the traditional white collar professional services backgrounds. For example, the first class of PRO referees had Matt Foerester who was a lawyer by background. He quit after a year or two because there simply isn't enough hours in the day to raise a family, be a lawyer, and fulfill the demands of being a PRO referee (the mandatory training, mandatory monthly meetings in Colorado or Dallas, and the travel of officiating games). And he was the one that didn't have to come through the PRO 2 ranks of doing the same at the USL level.
THe list here is very long. There were good refs that made it to MLS and gave up the whistle. Elias Bazakos is one. Very good national referees that were pushed young (before graduating college) and made career choices once they hit real life. I remember guys like Landis Wiley, Hida Tica, and Mat Jozaitis along those lines. Some might even count ole Radford in this group, even though he's a big time VAR these days. There are hundreds of these types in the USA.
No, not him. He could ref but he was much higher than a Regional. Probably not a FIFA in the USA but long term National for sure.
Radford isn't one of them. Especially if you know where and what he does outside of soccer. He just wasn't good enough according to PRO.
Anyone know the VAR for this gem? ¡Esa era roja clarísima! 😡‼️Tremenda plancha de Nández sobre Gilberto Mora ❌📲📺¡Disfruta de todos los partidos de la Selección Mexicana en VIX! 🟠 #tacosvsAsado pic.twitter.com/sWuHBDTyKW— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) November 16, 2025 Referee is Fernando Morón of Panama and, no, I'm not kidding.
Back on qualifying, was anyone able to watch Elfath, Dickerson or Penso last week? I take it Penso had a very smooth ride and I saw a few highlights but nothing of her decisions. Elfath, I've seen nothing of note. Dickerson has three things in the official highlights package, one more theoretical: 1:12 (the theoretical) if the attacker goes down there instead of getting the shot off, it's a penalty, right? I think the shot is solid and from close range, so you just simply cannot give it here (particularly as no one is asking for it) but it's a reminder about attacker incentives 4:29 Dickerson gives this as simulation. It's not a penalty, but I also do genuinely think the player slipped as he tried to get round him. The fact that he sort of appeals certainly doesn't help his case. But I still don't think yellow is the optimal outcome; I think play on is preferred. I say this as someone who wants more simulation cards: Dickerson might be one of the few elite referees who appears to look for them when they aren't necessarily there. We had one along those lines at Gold Cup, too. It's a hard thing to calibrate perfectly, but for me he stands out. 5:45 seems an excellent offside decision.
Is anyone aware of CONCACAF ever undertaking any semi-serious analysis or examination of the reasons why their top referees from so many countries don’t ever develop to anywhere near the desired or necessary level? In other words, some introspection. Isn’t it generally true that there are more tournaments, events, more contrived competitions, more matches, more gatherings, more opportunities than ever in CONCACAF and around the world for referees to test themselves and learn and develop? Why does it seem that this increased level of opportunity has not helped? What US pyramid level do some of the top divisions in various Caribbean and Central American countries roughly align with, from a quality of play standpoint? Is the Jamaican first division equivalent in many ways to the US 3rd or 4th division? There’s a lot of development opportunities for referees in USL1, NPSL, USL2, UPSL, etc. I’m not sure why people give referees from smaller countries a pass and accept the idea that their home leagues don’t offer opportunity to develop and grow. They absolute do. Any decent amateur league can help prepare officials for most of the challenges of the top levels of the game. Most of what these officials lack is feel for the game and the ability to manage players and manage matches. Sure, foul and misconduct recognition and selection get more difficult as the speed and quality of play increase. But a reckless tackle, a player screaming and getting in the referee’s face, a mass confrontation, simulation, and all manner of dark arts can happen anywhere - even if lesser leagues. Maybe it’s sheerly a numbers thing and there aren’t enough registered referees to choose from in many of these countries. Or a lack of quality instruction and mentorship. Giving the officials from smaller footballing nations a handful of games each year in USL or NWSL or CPL or MLS isn’t going to help much.
I don’t really agree with the premise here, that Concacaf doesn’t produce good referees from small countries. One of the best referees in Concacaf, and, arguably, the world, is from El Salvador (Barton). Guatemala has produced several quality referees over the years (and some not-so-quality ones, but still). Costa Rica and Honduras as well; I think Calderon (CRC) is quickly rising as a top name. Panama had John Pitti who was a really good referee for a while. For all the crap we give it, Concacaf refereeing is solidly ahead of AFC and CAF at the moment. I do generally agree that the Caribbean hasn’t produced anyone at the top, at least in recent times. But the small Central American countries have provided some quality referees.
Suriname trails 3-0, goal difference between them and Honduras (0-0 at Costa Rica) is critical right now. Should Costa Rica score, then goal difference between Suriname and Costa Rica would become critical… Furthermore, as Costa Rica and Suriname have both scored and conceded the same number of goals at the moment, I believe yellow card counts would come into play. CONCACAF, in their eternal wisdom, has appointed a Costa Rican referee on the Suriname match…
Ivan Barton is so good. The 2YC he gave is one I’m afraid to say many would have missed entirely. Others, if they called the foul at all, would have swallowed the card. Barton had no hesitation.