08/17/2026
The Las Vegas Mayor’s Cup family is deeply saddened by the passing of our longtime friend John Kennedy, a true legend of soccer in Las Vegas and throughout the United States. Born May 18, 1950, John devoted more than four decades to the game he loved, officiating at every level from youth and high school soccer to college and the professional ranks. His remarkable career included working with more than 15,000 referee crews and nearly 50,000 assignments, 17 Nevada high school state championship games, the historic eight-overtime 1985 NCAA Championship match, and the 1986 NCAA Championship final. In 2009, John received one of the sport’s highest honors when he was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. A proud Scotsman, John’s love of soccer extended well beyond the field, and he remained an avid and devoted supporter of Glasgow Rangers throughout his life.
For the Las Vegas Mayor’s Cup, John was much more than an accomplished referee. He served as the tournament’s referee assignor from its start through 2019, helping build the officiating program as the Mayor’s Cup grew from a new local tournament into an internationally recognized soccer event. Year after year, John brought together referee crews capable of handling thousands of matches and players from around the world, always with the professionalism, calm demeanor and love of the game for which he was known. The Mayor’s Cup simply would not have become what it is today without John Kennedy. We will always be grateful for his friendship, his dedication and the enormous contribution he made to our tournament and to generations of soccer players, coaches and referees in Las Vegas. He will be deeply missed.
