Mexican Miguel Ángel Chacón has been appointed as the new head of the Costa Rica Arbitration Commission, from where he will have among his main goals to strengthen the use of VAR and contribute to the development of the country’s arbitrators.
The Costa Rican Football Federation (FCRF) confirmed the appointment on Wednesday and highlighted the Mexican’s experience in arbitration and,, in the implementation and operation of technological tools applied to football.
Chacón becomes the third foreigner to hold this position in Costa Rica, after the Argentine Horacio Elizondo, who headed between October 2023 and January 2025, and the Chilean Enrique Osses, who served between February 2025 and August 2026.
The Mexican Miguel Chacón is the new president of the Costa Rica Arbitration Commission. pic.twitter.com/N9BBJC0Vx6
The Mexican’s arrival occurs at a time when Costa Rica’s arbitrationins the focus on the operation of video arbitration and the decisions made with the support of technology.
“With its arrival, the FCRF seeks to continue strengthening the national reference (arbitrage) and to follow-up the development of the technological tools that support this important work,” the FCRF said.
The arbitration decisions backed by the VAR have generated constant claims from Costa Rica’s first division clubs, so Chacón’s experience in this area will be one of the main elements of his new management.
The Costa Rican First Division started using the VAR in September 2024 and became then the first competition in Central America and the third in Concacaf to incorporate this technology, after Mexico and the United States.
Before arriving in Costa Rica, Miguel Ángel Chacón developed much of his recent career in Mexico. The Mexican served for seven years as VAR coordinator of the MX League, participating in processes related to the development and implementation of the video arbitration system.
The FCRF highlighted its expertise in the use of technological tools and in the training of the arbitration members.
In February 2026 he completed this stage as VAR coordinator of the MX League. Subsequently, he served as a FIFA and Concacaf instructor, where he participated in arbitration training processes and VAR technology-related projects,” the Federation said.
Her experience also includes work related to the training of arbitrators and with international projects linked to video arbitration.
In addition to the VAR, Chacón has preparation in FIFA’s Football Video Support (FVS), a tool designed as an alternative to conventional video arbitration for certain competitions.
The incorporation of this experience will be part of the Mexican’s work at the head of the Costa Rica Arbitration Commission, in an environment where technology occupies an increasingly relevant role in decision-making during matches.
With its arrival, the FCRF seeks to combine the training of local referees with the monitoring of the technological tools used in Costa Rican football.
