Financial constraints, not just on‑field results, forced the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) to part ways with men’s national team coach Dwight Yorke, TTFA President Kieron Edwards revealed on March 7, 2026. Edwards told i95.5 FM that the federation could meet Yorke’s salary during the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign thanks to sponsor backing, but the revised contract he proposed for the post‑campaign period exceeded what the association could sustainably afford.
Yorke, appointed in November 2024 with a clear mandate to qualify the Soca Warriors for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, oversaw a disappointing qualifying run. Trinidad and Tobago finished third in Group B behind Jamaica and Curaçao, missing out on the tournament for the first time since 2006. While the results contributed to the review, Edwards emphasized that the decisive factor was the “salary stalemate.” He rated Yorke’s overall performance a five out of ten, noting modest progress in some areas but insufficient improvement to justify the demanded pay.
The contract talks collapsed after both sides failed to agree on revised remuneration. In a formal statement, the TTFA said the split was “by mutual agreement” on February 28, 2026, after a comprehensive internal review. Edwards added that the coaching staff had been fully paid and terminated in December, whereas Yorke himself was still owed roughly US$158,000 in salary and other outstanding items.
Edwards stressed that the federation must avoid a repeat of past financial mismanagement that once led to FIFA‑imposed normalisation. “We need to run the organisation prudently and ensure our programmes are sustainable,” he said, underscoring the need for fiscal responsibility as the TTFA plans its next strategic phase.
The departure marks the end of Yorke’s 27‑month spell at the helm. The TTFA now faces the task of appointing a new coach who can work within the association’s budget while rebuilding the national team’s competitive edge for future regional and World Cup qualifying cycles.
