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After two years in the USL, Montreal Impact�s USL affiliate FC Montreal are set to cease operations. After many speculations in the past couple of days about FC Montreal shutting down and Ottawa Fury becoming the new USL team affiliate, it seems the rumors were true. Tony Marinaro said that players who sign with Ottawa Fury FC that their rights will belong to the Montreal Impact as they will be the team's new USL affiliate. Technical Director of the Montreal Impact, Adam Braz, told players on Monday morning that they had 3 options: (1) they can play in the PLSQ and if they had enough players who wanted to go to the PLSQ they would keep the Montreal FC name, (2) they would have a professional tryout with Ottawa Fury FC but no spot would be guaranteed or (3) they would be released by the Montreal Impact but the team would own their rights for one year. Ottawa�s participation in USL and the partnership with Montreal will have no impact on the club�s participation in the Canadian Championship. Fury FC will again take aim at the Voyageur�s Cup in 2017. The partnership between Ottawa and Montreal is the 10th partnership between USL and MLS clubs. Two more clubs � Rio Grande Valley FC and Reno 1868 FC � hold hybrid partnerships with MLS clubs, while nine MLS clubs own and operate their own USL clubs. (Source: USL / Mount Royal Soccer)

Alan Kelly will referee the MLS Cup, which takes place on 10 December 2016 between Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC. Kelly made his MLS Cup Play-offs debut in the Knockout Round in October, and will now officiate the showpiece and bring the curtain down on the 2016 Major League Soccer campaign. The assignment caps a memorable month for the Irishman, who was named as the MLS Referee of the Year at the beginning of November, an award bestowed upon him for the second successive season. Frank Anderson, who was named the MLS Assistant Referee of the Year, will be on AR1 duty, with Joe Fletcher chosen as AR2. Anderson ran the line for 23 regular season matches, while the experienced Fletcher, who was on Copa America Centenario duty earlier in the campaign, was assigned 11 times. NASL Championship referee Allen Chapman will be on fourth official duties for the game, with Danny Thornberry selected as the reserve AR.

During the opening ceremony, CONCACAF officials including General Secretary Philippe Moggio, Deputy General Secretary Ted Howard and Director of Refereeing Brian Hall highlighted the potential of referees in our region and CONCACAF�s commitment to providing the tools for success. �As the excitement is building up for our upcoming major competitions, CONCACAF and its refereeing department have created this program to meticulously prepare the match officials for high-paced games on the biggest stages within the region,� said Moggio. �As representatives of CONCACAF, we are counting on our officials to ensure there is healthy competition, while maintaining the spirit of fair play.� Mexican referee Roberto Garcia recognizes the importance of these courses in order to improve his own performance on a continuous basis. �Working hard and maintaining discipline are crucial aspects to deliver key results. A referee must prepare to be competitive 365 days a year, enjoy each and every game, and give the best,� said Garcia, the center official for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup final between Uruguay and France in Turkey. �Football has grown a lot and these international competitions reflect all the work you have done.� Garcia, a referee for more than 20 years, worked at the historic Copa America Centenario USA 2016 and has been part of the officiating crews at CONCACAF Gold Cup and Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League matches. In December, he will have the opportunity to officiate at the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2016. �I�m very passionate about refereeing. In order to officiate at an elite level within CONCACAF, you need to meet several requirements, including solid physical and mental preparation. After participating in several programs provided by the Confederation, I have been able to advance in my career. Refereeing at important competitions such as the Gold Cup is a major responsibility and preparation is key to succeed on the pitch�, said Costa Rican referee Ricardo Montero. He has refereed at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015, in addition to several CONCACAF competitions, including the 2015 Gold Cup. Montero is also a referee candidate for the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018.

After successful performances in CONCACAF competitions (U-15, U-17, U-20), referee Marie-Soleil Beaudoin (photo) received her first FIFA appointment. She was selected for the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women�s World Cup that will take place in Jordan, between 30 September and 21 October 2016. Seventeen women�s referees and 28 women�s assistant referees from 33 different countries will take charge of the matches.