dwight yorke has left his role as Trinidad and Tobago national men’s head coach after the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association and the coach failed to reach agreement on revised contractual terms and remuneration, the TTFA announced on Thursday (ET). Yorke was hired in November 2024 (ET) with a mandate to guide T&T to the 2026 World Cup, but the team finished third in Group B behind Jamaica and Curacao, who secured qualification. TTFA president Kieron Edwards said the coach’s asking price exceeded what the association could sustain and that programme sustainability drove the breakdown in talks.
Key facts: why talks collapsed
The TTFA and dwight yorke parted ways “by mutual agreement” after negotiations over revised salary and coaching-staff pay failed to produce common ground, the association said on Thursday (ET). Edwards framed the dispute as a financial one: he said the asking price was simply too high for an association committed to running sustainable programmes and avoiding a return to FIFA normalisation based on finances. Edwards noted that during the World Cup campaign the TTFA could have afforded a higher payroll because sponsors were more engaged, but that financial conditions have since tightened and long-term prudence is required.
Immediate reactions — Dwight Yorke exit and TTFA response
“I want to start off by saying that being the president of the executive coming off of normalisation, one of the things that we said was that never again is T&T to be put in a place where we are put under normalisation by FIFA based on finances, ” Kieron Edwards, President of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association, said on Thursday (ET). He added that while the TTFA made counteroffers, the numbers did not add up in terms of programme sustainability.
Edwards confirmed that Yorke’s coaching staff were terminated in December (ET) and were fully paid. He also stated that the association owes Yorke around US$158, 000, representing salary and outstanding bonuses, and that this amount would soon be settled by the TTFA.
Quick context
Yorke was appointed in November 2024 (ET) with a clear brief to guide Trinidad and Tobago to the 2026 World Cup. The team finished third in Group B behind Jamaica and Curacao; Curacao went on to qualify for the tournament.
What’s next
The TTFA has pledged to settle the outstanding payment to dwight yorke and to prioritise financial prudence to keep programmes sustainable, Edwards said on Thursday (ET). The association faces immediate administrative tasks: finalising the agreed settlement and stabilising the coaching structure after the December (ET) staff terminations, while maintaining the longer-term objective of rebuilding sponsorship and programme stability under the executive’s stated financial constraints.
