The 2024 Barbados Football Association Premier League continues to deliver high-stakes, tightly contested action this season, with two crucial midweek matches shaking up the league table on Tuesday. In the headline fixture of the week’s matchday, Kickstart Rush secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ellerton that lifted them into the second spot in the overall standings, tightening the race for the league title. It did not take long for the first breakthrough to come, with forward Azarel Croney finding the back of the net in the 30th minute to put Kickstart Rush ahead early in the second half of the campaign. Ellerton responded quickly after the break, with Anson Barrow leveling the score in the 55th minute to set up a tense final 35 minutes of play. The match-winning goal came courtesy of 17-year-old national team prospect Jamarco Johnson, who netted in the 71st minute to seal all three points for Kickstart Rush. With the result, Kickstart Rush now sits on 23 points, just a single point adrift of current league leaders Paradise. For Ellerton, the defeat drops the side to fifth place in the table with 20 points, leaving them just narrowly outside the top contention group in what is being called the most competitive Premier League campaign in recent memory. The night’s second fixture, played at the BFA Technical Centre in Wildey, pitted two newly promoted sides against each other in a battle that could have major implications for relegation survival at the end of the season. Bagatelle claimed a dominant 4-1 win over St Andrew Lions, with forward Torian Joseph delivering a standout performance that included a match-winning hat-trick. Joseph opened the scoring for Bagatelle in the 19th minute, but St Andrew Lions managed to pull level just before halftime, with Zeco Graves finding the net in the 44th minute. Bagatelle reclaimed the lead just two minutes later, with Tyreese King putting the newly promoted side back ahead before the break. Joseph put the result beyond doubt after halftime, scoring his second of the game in the 46th minute before sealing his hat-trick in the 86th minute to lock in the three points. The win moves Bagatelle up to sixth place in the league standings with 14 points, pulling the side clear of the bottom half of the table and leapfrogging UWI, who now sit one spot below on 12 points. For St Andrew Lions, the loss leaves the club stuck in ninth place on just six points, occupying one of the two relegation spots in the league. They share the relegation zone with winless bottom side Wotton, who have yet to pick up a single point this season. St Andrew Lions now sit five points adrift of eighth-placed Eyre’s Meat Shop Pride of Gall Hill, leaving them with a steep climb to avoid dropping back down to the lower division at the end of the campaign. The action will continue this coming Sunday, with a full slate of matches that could see league leaders Paradise extend their advantage at the top of the table. Paradise will kick off Sunday’s matchday against Bagatelle, and a win would push their lead over second-placed Kickstart Rush out to four points. Ellerton, fresh off Tuesday’s defeat, will face a challenging test against UWI Blackbirds, while defending champions Weymouth Wales will close out the night against St Andrew Lions. The two sides played to a 1-1 draw in their first meeting during the first half of the season, setting up another competitive encounter for the reigning title holders.
分类： sports
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Pride hoping to continue dominance over Jamaica in WI Championship
One of Caribbean first-class cricket’s most storied rivalries is set to resume when two regional heavyweights, Barbados Pride and Jamaica Scorpions, face off in the opening round of the 2026 West Indies Championship, hosted across Jamaica from April 12 through May 2. For Barbados Pride, the upcoming tournament carries an extra edge of motivation, after the side fell agonizingly short of claiming the 2025 title, finishing just 5.4 points behind the champions despite a dramatic final-day win over Leeward Islands at St Kitts’ Warner Park. That narrow defeat has only sharpened the squad’s hunger to climb back to the top of regional cricket by the tournament’s closing on May 2.
Over the past 10 years of first-class competition between the two sides, Barbados Pride have held an unbroken dominant streak. The franchise has remained undefeated against Jamaica across that decade, notching eight wins – including a commanding nine-wicket victory at Bridgetown’s Kensington Oval just last year. Despite this lopsided historical record, long-serving Barbados captain Kraigg Brathwaite has stressed that his side will not underestimate their hosts, ahead of the opening clash at Kingston’s Sabina Park.
Reflecting on his own standout performance at the venue during his last regional outing, where he scored a brilliant 142-run innings, Brathwaite highlighted that consistent focus and clinical execution will be key to a strong start. “Jamaica is always a competitive team when they play on home soil. You always enjoy competing against a side that plays the game with their intensity, but you can never afford to take any opponent for granted,” Brathwaite explained. “They are a very strong side, so we need to show up as a cohesive unit, and the whole squad is excited for this challenge.”
Pre-season trial matches have given the five-time regional champions a clear picture of where their players stand in terms of form and match temperament. Young batter Shian Brathwaite and opener Kevin Wickham both notched centuries during warm-up play, while multiple other batters posted consistent half-centuries across practice outings. Even with this strong pre-season form, the veteran captain, who has competed in 228 first-class matches throughout his career, has urged his squad to stay anchored in the present rather than looking past the opening fixture.
Brathwaite credited the team’s coaching staff for laying solid pre-season groundwork, noting that the structured training program and trial matches gave selectors and players a valuable opportunity to assess every squad member’s ability to contribute at different stages of the long tournament. “The groundwork the coaches have put in has made our preparation much smoother, and it’s given everyone a chance to prove they can step up when called on,” he added.
For home side Jamaica Scorpions, the opening clash represents a golden opportunity to end their long losing streak against the reigning dominant franchise, and captain John Campbell says his squad is relishing the chance to topple the giants on their home ground. While Campbell acknowledges that Barbados Pride’s recent track record makes them a formidable opponent, he says the opening round gives his side all the opportunity they need to pull off an upset.
Campbell shared that the squad has put in months of purpose-driven training since the end of the 2025 Super 50 tournament, with players focusing on refining individual technical skills to lift the team’s overall performance. The 2025 campaign ended with Campbell as the Scorpions’ leading run-scorer, notching more than 500 runs across the tournament, and he carried that form into pre-season, hitting a double century in a recent trial match. Several other Scorpions batters also found form in warm-up play, with Peat Salmon, Abhijai Mansingh, and Carlos Brown all registering centuries in the lead-up to the championship.
“We’ve had this great rivalry spanning decades, and right now, as a group, we’re in a really good position,” Campbell said. “We’ve got multiple practice matches under our belts, and players have stepped up across the board, showing maturity and making solid contributions that bode well for the tournament.”
Looking back at recent matchups between the two sides, Campbell identified a key weakness his side is targeting ahead of the clash: the Scorpions lost 23 of 40 wickets to Barbadian spin bowling in their most recent meeting, a flaw the captain says the squad has worked hard to address. “Over the years, we’ve lost far too many wickets to spin, so if we can cut out those soft dismissals against Barbados’ spin attack, we’ll be in a great position to compete and get a result here,” he explained.
The full Jamaica Scorpions squad for the tournament is: John Campbell (captain), Brad Barnes, Carlos Brown, Javelle Glenn, Brandon King, Abhijai Mansingh, Kirk Mckenzie, Marquino Mindley, Romaine Morris, Jeavor Royal, Peat Salmon, Ojay Shields, and Odean Smith.
The full Barbados Pride squad is: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Joshua Bishop, Jediah Blades, Leniko Boucher, Shian Brathwaite, Jonathan Drakes, Johann Layne, Kyle Mayers, Jair McAllister, Shayne Moseley, Shamar Springer, Jomel Warrican, and Kevin Wickham.
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West Indies Championship Preview: Jamaica Scorpions vs Barbados Pride
One of Caribbean first-class cricket’s most storied regional rivalries is set to resume this month, as two heavyweight sides—Jamaica Scorpions and Barbados Pride—kick off their 2026 West Indies Championship campaign with a three-match bilateral series hosted entirely on Jamaican soil. The tournament will run across Jamaica from April 12 through May 2, with the overall championship concluding on May 20.
For Barbados Pride, the upcoming series comes on the heels of a devastating near-miss in the 2025 title race. Despite a dramatic final-day win against Leeward Islands at Warner Park, the side finished just 5.4 points short of claiming the crown. That narrow defeat has only amplified the squad’s hunger to claim the top spot in regional cricket this year, according to pre-tournament comments from team leadership.
Barbados has held a decisive upper hand in this rivalry over the last 10 years, remaining undefeated against Jamaica in first-class competition while notching eight wins—including a commanding nine-wicket victory at Bridgetown’s Kensington Oval just last year. Even with this dominant historic track record, longtime Barbados captain Kraigg Brathwaite has stressed that his squad will not underestimate the hosts. Brathwaite, who boasts 228 first-class appearances under his belt and scored a polished 142 at Jamaica’s Sabina Park during his last outing there, emphasized that complacency has no place in the upcoming clash.
“Jamaica is always a competitive team at home, you always enjoy playing against them for that fight,” Brathwaite said. “As I always say, you cannot take any team for granted. They are a very good side, so we have to perform as a unit, and all the guys are excited to step up to that challenge.”
Pre-season trial matches have given the six-time regional champions confidence in their form ahead of the opening round. Shian Brathwaite and Kevin Wickham both logged centuries in warm-up play, while multiple other batters delivered consistent half-century contributions to round out solid preparation. Kraigg Brathwaite added that the coaching staff has built a comprehensive pre-season program that allowed the side to evaluate every player’s potential impact across the long tournament, urging his squad to stay focused on the opening matches rather than looking too far ahead.
For home side Jamaica Scorpions, the opportunity to end Barbados’ decade-long undefeated streak on their own turf is a chance captain John Campbell says his side is eagerly embracing. While the visitors’ historic winning record makes them a formidable opponent, Campbell noted that the opening series at home gives Jamaica a clear path to upset the odds.
“The guys have put in a huge amount of intentional work since the end of the Super 50 tournament, not just going through the motions in training,” Campbell explained. “Every player has focused on improving their own game, especially sharpening technical skills, and that collective work is going to pay off for us this series.”
Campbell, who ended the 2025 season as the Scorpions’ leading run-scorer with more than 500 runs, underscored his own match readiness with a double century in a recent trial match. He also highlighted strong pre-season form across the squad, with Peat Salmon, Abhijai Mansingh and Carlos Brown all notching centuries in warm-up play.
“We’ve had this great rivalry going back decades, and right now as a group we’re in a really good place,” Campbell said. “We’ve got multiple practice matches under our belts, and players have stepped up across the board, showing maturity and delivering solid contributions when it counts.”
One key area of focus for Jamaica heading into the series is shoring up its performance against spin bowling. In their most recent meeting with Barbados, the Scorpions lost 23 of their 40 wickets to spin, a recurring vulnerability that Campbell has made a priority to address.
“Over the years, we’ve given away far too many wickets to spin bowlers,” Campbell noted. “If we can cut out those dismissals against Barbados’ spin attack, we’ll be in a great position to compete and get a good result this series.”
Both squads have made clear that past results, whether favorable or disappointing, will carry no weight once the first ball is bowled. Both sides are fully prepared to leave everything on the field in their push to claim the 2026 regional title, starting with this opening series.
The three-match series is scheduled as follows: Round 1 will take place from April 12 to 15 at Chedwin Park, while Rounds 2 and 3 will be held at Sabina Park from April 19 to 22 and April 26 to 29 respectively.
Full squads for the series are listed below:
Jamaica Scorpions: John Campbell (c), Brad Barnes, Carlos Brown, Javelle Glenn, Brandon King, Abhijai Mansingh, Kirk Mckenzie, Marquino Mindley, Romaine Morris, Jeavor Royal, Peat Salmon, Ojay Shields, Odean Smith
Barbados Pride: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Joshua Bishop, Jediah Blades, Leniko Boucher, Shian Brathwaite, Jonathan Drakes, Johann Layne, Kyle Mayers, Jair McAllister, Shayne Moseley, Shamar Springer, Jomel Warrican, Kevin Wickham -
Davia Richardson Returns Home to Inspire Young Belizean Swimmers
At 17 years old, Belize’s trailblazing swimming sensation Davia Richardson has traded the frigid pool decks of her training base in New York for the warm Caribbean waters of her home country, launching a multi-day outreach campaign designed to ignite a love of competitive swimming among Belize’s next generation of athletes. After making history as the first Belizean swimmer to earn a spot at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, bringing home multiple international gold medals and setting new national records, Richardson arrived in Belize on April 8, 2026 alongside her core support team: her mother, long-time personal coach, and sports psychologist, a testament to the foundational community that has fueled her rapid rise in global aquatics.
Richardson’s first stop immediately after clearing the airport was the YWCA swimming pool in Belize City, where a group of young swimmers from the HUB Resource Center had already gathered to meet their sporting idol. Eager to show off their growing skills, the program’s senior age-group swimmers held an informal exhibition race for their visiting star, putting the techniques they have learned in training on full display. Speaking to reporters from local outlet News Five, Richardson expressed her joy at being back in her home country after months of training abroad.
“It is good to be back. It is really cold in New York, so I love the weather here. I love seeing all the swimmers here and it makes me want to get in right now. So I am excited to be here for the next few days,” Richardson said.
With 12 years of competitive swimming already under her belt, Richardson has used the sport to travel to corners of the world she never imagined she would see as a young girl growing up in Belize. Her core message to the young athletes she meets during this trip centers on the power of hard work, persistence, and a strong support network to turn even the biggest dreams into reality.
“I have been swimming for twelve years and it has taken me all over the world. It brought me a lot of new memories. It had taken me to places I never thought I would be and just that you can get really far with a lot of hard work and determination and a really good support system which I have and I am really blessed to have them,” she added.
The homecoming outreach trip is a collaborative effort between Richardson and the Belize Aquatics Federation, led by president Giovanni Alamilla. Alamilla explained that Richardson personally reached out to the federation to organize the initiative during her school break, saying she was eager to give back to the swimming community that launched her career. Over the first two days of her visit, Richardson and local coaches will host a specialized swimming camp for young aspiring swimmers. Richardson’s sports psychologist will also partner with the Belize Olympic Committee to hold mental skills workshops for athletes across multiple national sporting federations, covering everything from pre-competition preparation to managing life after major events.
Beyond her work with young swimmers, the trip also holds deep personal meaning for Richardson. Five years after losing her father, she plans to visit his grave at Lord Ridge Cemetery during her stay, reflecting on how his memory and her love for her home country have carried her through hardship.
“You can do a lot with the little you have. Hardship can be a lot. My dad passed away when I was twelve and he is buried so I am excited to go visit him. Knowing I am representing him and his country to the best of my ability helps me get through that hardship and challenge,” Richardson shared. “It is a small country but I am very appreciative with all the support I have been given and the continued support I will have and I hope you know I will do my very best to represent the country every time I step out on that block and I will continue to strive for greatness.”
As she connects with emerging local talent and honors the roots that shaped her, Richardson remains committed to raising Belize’s profile in international aquatics and proving that world-class athletic dreams can start even in a small Central American nation. Reporting for News Five, Paul Lopez contributed to this report.
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GFA’s Referee Academy to elevate officiating standards
In a landmark step for football development across the Caribbean island nation, the Grenada Football Association (GFA) formally launched its specialized Referee Academy during an official ceremony hosted April 8 at the VIP Conference Room of the Kirani James Athletics Stadium.
The creation of this new institution marks a defining milestone in the GFA’s ongoing pledge to professionalize every tier of Grenada’s football ecosystem. For years, the local governing body has identified inconsistent officiating quality and a limited pool of certified match officials as key bottlenecks holding back the growth of both domestic leagues and national team competition. By establishing a dedicated training academy, the GFA aims to address these gaps directly, creating a clear, structured progression route for emerging referees looking to build careers in the sport. The initiative’s core objectives include boosting the overall standard of in-match officiating, supporting continuous professional development for new and existing officials, and expanding the pipeline of qualified referees eligible to oversee matches at both local and international levels.
The launch ceremony opened with keynote remarks from GFA President Marlon Glean, who centered his address on the underrecognized critical role referees play in upholding the sport’s integrity and driving its forward progress. “This academy is far more than a new training program – it is a strategic investment in the future of Grenadian football,” Glean stated during the event. “Our core goal is to arm up-and-coming and current referees with all the technical knowledge, practical tools, and physical conditioning they need to thrive at the highest levels of the global game.”
A highlight of the event was the attendance of Javier Santos, FIFA’s regional Referee Development Officer, whose participation highlighted the global governing body’s backing for Grenada’s efforts to bring its referee training framework in line with international best practices.
Moving forward, the Referee Academy will deliver a holistic, multi-faceted training curriculum that combines in-depth theoretical classroom instruction with hands-on practical on-field training sessions. This blended approach is designed to ensure trainees master both the rules of the game and the on-pitch decision-making skills required at competitive levels. For the GFA, this initiative solidifies capacity building as a central pillar of the association’s long-term strategic vision to grow and elevate football across Grenada.
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Annalisa Brown joins elite company with 800m Silver
At the 2026 CARIFTA Games, young Grenadian middle-distance runner Annalisa Brown delivered a career-defining performance that etched her name into her country’s regional athletics record books, claiming silver in the Under-17 Girls 800 metres to secure a historic milestone. With this result, Brown became the first Under-17 female athlete from Grenada to earn medals in both the 800m and 1,500m events at a single edition of the Caribbean’s premier youth track and field competition, a feat not achieved by a Grenadian competitor of the same age group since Daniella Abraham’s 1999 performance in Fort-de-France, Martinique.
Brown crossed the finish line at the 800m event with a time of 2:14.40, marking a new personal best for the rising star. This clocking also stands as the second-fastest 800m time recorded by any female Grenadian athlete in the 2026 competitive season, demonstrating the significant progress Brown has made since her last appearance at the games. Her silver medal marks an upgrade from the bronze medal she claimed in the same division at the 2024 CARIFTA Games, which were hosted on her home track in Grenada. Gold in the 2026 Under-17 800m went to Guyana’s Olivia Solomon.
With this latest podium finish, Brown’s total CARIFTA medal count over her Under-17 career has risen to three, a tally that underscores her consistent competitiveness across multiple distances and multiple years of regional youth competition. A student at Boca Secondary School, Brown trains with the local Finishline Sports Club under the guidance of head coach Ronald Charles. In a post-race reflection, Charles opened up about the grueling multi-event schedule his young athlete navigated throughout the 2026 championships.
“I’m very pleased with Anna,” Charles said. “It’s not the time we were hoping to get, but she participated in the 4×100m, the 1500m, and the rounds of the 800m. When we assessed her, she did mention slight discomfort, so the legs were a bit tired.” Even with the accumulated fatigue and physical strain of a packed competition schedule, Charles emphasized that Brown’s ability to hit a new personal best and secure an individual silver medal was a remarkable outcome.
“Against that backdrop, achieving a new personal best and winning an individual medal on the track is a good look for us,” he added. Looking ahead, Brown is already scheduled to make her next competitive appearance at the 2026 Classic Lighting Communal Invitational, which will run from 25 to 26 April at Grenada’s Kirani James Athletic Stadium, where she will look to build on her historic CARIFTA Games success.
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Kazim Telesford claims double Silver for Grenada at CARIFTA
The 2026 CARIFTA Games have delivered another standout performance from a rising Grenadian throwing talent, as 17-year-old prospect Kazim Telesford claimed two silver medals in the men’s Under-17 shot put and discus throw events, cementing Grenada’s decades-long legacy of excellence in throwing competitions.\n\nTelesford, a student at St David Catholic Secondary School, carries impressive local credentials into the regional championships: he is the reigning InterCol Junior champion in both throwing disciplines, and already holds the InterCol Junior discus record, setting a 53.77-meter mark earlier this 2026 season. Ahead of CARIFTA, he proved his elite form by winning gold in the 5kg shot put at the 2026 InterCol Games with a 15.72-meter throw, then took the national Under-17 shot put title at the ARIZA National Championships with an even stronger 15.80-meter effort. He trains under the guidance of head throws coach Paul Phillip at the St David Track Blazers Track Club — the same program that produced two-time world champion Anderson Peters, giving Telesford access to world-class coaching and development.\n\nIn the Under-17 shot put competition, Telesford got off to a blistering start, opening with a 14.76-meter throw that put him atop the leaderboard after the first two rounds. However, strong third-round throws from Trinidad and Tobago’s Jafari Shaw and Barbados’ Kamal Armstrong pushed him down to third place entering the final round of throws, which only the top eight competitors advanced to. Telesford responded to the pressure with a clutch 15.67-meter throw on his first final-round attempt, catapulting him into second place. He could not improve on that mark across his remaining attempts, and ultimately held on to win silver, with Armstrong taking gold after a final-attempt 15.96-meter throw.\n\nThis result carried historic meaning for Grenada: Telesford is the seventh Grenadian athlete ever to earn a medal in CARIFTA shot put, and the first Under-17 athlete from the country to medal in the 5kg shot put event in 12 years.\n\nTelesford didn’t stop there, adding a second silver medal in the Under-17 discus throw. This finish ended a 10-year medal drought for Grenada in the Under-17 discus event at CARIFTA, and makes Telesford just the eighth Grenadian athlete to claim a medal in the discipline at the regional games. Following his double medal performance, Grenada’s all-time CARIFTA medal count across Under-17 shot put and discus now stands at two gold, four silver, and three bronze.\n\nTelesford is one of only two Grenadian athletes to win multiple individual medals at the 2026 CARIFTA Games, joining compatriot Annalisa Brown in the rare achievement. His double silver finish confirms his standing as one of the Caribbean’s most promising young throwing talents, and signals that Grenada’s storied tradition of producing elite throwers remains on strong footing for the next generation.
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Belize’s First World Aquatics Competitor Visits Belize During School Break
Seventeen-year-old swimming trailblazer Davia Richardson, who made history as the first athlete from Belize to compete at the World Aquatics Championships held in Singapore, has returned to her home country for a short visit during her school break. The young athlete is using her time back in Belize to mentor up-and-coming local swimmers through community programming, while also making space to honor a deeply personal connection to her late father.
Currently based in New York for training and schooling, Richardson touched down in Belize on April 8, 2026, alongside her mother, long-time swimming coach and sports psychologist. She shared that she has been looking forward to reconnecting with Belize’s tight-knit swimming community during her brief break from her busy training and competition schedule.
Her first stop after arriving was the YWCA swimming pool in Belize City, where a group of young swimmers from the HUB Resource Centre gathered to meet their country’s pioneering aquatic athlete. Speaking to local outlet News Five, Richardson expressed her joy at being back in her home country: “It is good to be back. It is really cold in New York, so I love the weather here. I love seeing all the swimmers here, and it makes me want to get in right now.”
Richardson’s journey in competitive swimming stretches back 12 years, a path that has taken her across continents to compete at the highest international level. Reflecting on her historic achievement, she shared advice for young Belizean athletes hoping to follow in her footsteps: “You can get really far with a lot of hard work and determination and a really good support system.”
Her homecoming visit is a collaborative effort between her team and the Belize Aquatics Federation, which is led by president Giovanni Alamilla. Alamilla confirmed that the trip was Richardson’s own idea: she specifically asked to spend her school break in Belize in order to give back to the swimming community that launched her career. Over the two days of her visit, she will lead a free youth swimming camp, passing on her experience and expertise to the next generation of Belizean swimmers.
Beyond her community work, Richardson has one personal priority for her trip: visiting the grave of her father at Lord Ridge Cemetery. Her father passed away when she was 12 years old, and he remains a core source of motivation for the young athlete. “Knowing I am representing him and his country to the best of my ability helps me get through hardship and challenges,” she shared.
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Yoni Epstein resigns as PFJL Finance Committee chairman
ST JAMES, Jamaica — In a sudden shake-up of Jamaica’s professional football administration, Yoni Epstein, chairman of the Finance Committee of Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) and head of top-flight club Montego Bay United, has stepped down from his finance committee post with immediate effect. Announcing the move in an official statement released Thursday, Epstein stated his resignation was driven by a desire to safeguard his long-standing professional reputation.
In his resignation notice, Epstein pulled back the curtain on what he calls a repeated, troubling pattern of questionable decision-making by the PFJL board. According to him, the governing body has consistently prioritized payouts to its own members over meeting outstanding operational debt obligations. He emphasized this practice amounts to a fundamental violation of core principles of sound financial governance, and poses a direct threat to the entire organization’s financial integrity.
Epstein made clear that no finance committee chair committed to upholding professional and ethical standards could publicly endorse or associate themselves with such problematic conduct. He pointed to a recent controversial board decision that directly contradicted formal recommendations put forward by his Finance Committee as the final straw.
Citing current PFJL financial figures, Epstein explained that the organization holds just $7.6 million in total available cash reserves, while facing approximately $29 million in unpaid obligations to external creditors. Despite this severe imbalance, the PFJL board chose to allocate $5.6 million — equal to 74% of all available cash on hand — to distribution payments to member clubs. In contrast, the large outstanding creditor debts that keep the league’s daily operations running remain almost entirely unpaid.
Epstein argued that this decision fails to meet any basic standard of financial prudence, and in his professional view, reflects conduct that falls far short of the fiduciary responsibilities required of a properly governed corporate entity.
While he has formally left his post, Epstein confirmed he stands ready to support an orderly handover of his finance chair duties, and will provide all required transition documentation to ensure no disruption to ongoing work. That said, he issued an urgent call for PFJL leadership to immediately address the outstanding creditor liabilities, and overhaul the organization’s decision-making processes to bring financial governance into alignment with widely accepted industry standards. Epstein warned that changes must be made quickly to prevent the organization’s financial position from deteriorating even further.
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Jamaica’s Oshane Nation named among referees for 2026 FIFA World Cup
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico this coming June and July, has finalized its panel of match officials, and Jamaican referee Oshane Nation has earned a coveted place on the roster, according to official announcements.
In a public statement published to FIFA’s official website this past Thursday, the global governing body of soccer revealed the full slate of 52 referees selected to oversee matches at the 48-team tournament. Among this select group, Nation stands out as one of only seven match officials drawn from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf), the regional governing body that manages soccer across the North American and Caribbean region.
The full official lineup of World Cup officials extends far beyond the lead match referees. FIFA also named 88 assistant referees and 30 video assistant referees (VAR) to join the on-field team, bringing the total cohort of match officials to 170 ahead of the historic first three-nation co-hosted World Cup this summer.
This report by Paul A Reid