🇹🇹 It’s the end of an era — and the beginning of a bold new chapter for Trinidad and Tobago football.
After proudly carrying the name “Soca Warriors” for nearly two decades — including their historic run to the 2006 FIFA World Cup — Trinidad and Tobago’s Men’s National Team is undergoing a major identity shift. The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) has officially announced that the “Soca Warriors” nickname can no longer be used due to trademark ownership issues.
🛑 Why Can’t “Soca Warriors” Be Used Anymore?
At the heart of Trinidad and Tobago’s national team rebranding lies a long-standing dispute over the ownership of the term “Soca Warriors.”
Veteran broadcaster Selwyn Melville claims he coined and trademarked the name as far back as 1998, asserting that the TTFA used it for years — including during the team’s historic 2006 FIFA World Cup run — without his permission. Despite multiple attempts to reach a formal agreement with the federation, Melville says he was continuously ignored.
“I tried to settle this matter in good faith,” Melville told reporters. “But I’ve never been acknowledged or compensated. It’s my intellectual property.”
However, in a surprising development, Steve Dipnarine, a former marketing manager at TBC Radio Network, has stepped forward with a competing claim.
Dipnarine states that during TBC’s 2001 World Cup promotional campaigns, he and his creative team developed and launched the term “Soca Warriors” as a unifying slogan. He alleges that the nickname was proposed to the TTFA and eventually adopted as the official identity of the national team.
With conflicting claims, no legal resolution, and the looming possibility of court action, the TTFA made the decision to officially retire the Soca Warriors name — paving the way for a fan-driven rebranding initiative.
🗳️ Here Are the 12 Final Name Options:
The TTFA has released a shortlist of creative and culturally inspired names, and they are asking fans to vote for their favorite:
- Carnival Kings
- Calypso Kings
- Calypso Warriors
- Soca Kings
- Trinbago Vikings
- Sunshine Boys
- Soca Gladiators
- Panorama Boys
- Trini Warriors
- Soca Invaders
- Trinbago Warriors
- Kaisoca Boys/Warriors
The full announcement can be viewed on the TTFA’s official Facebook post here.
📣 TTFA Wants You to Decide
This is a rare chance for football fans across the region — and the global Trinbagonian diaspora — to help shape the next identity of the national team.
🗳️ Voting is now open at www.thettfa.com
💬 Comment, discuss, and share with fellow supporters
✊ A New Era Begins
While it appears this is the final farewell to the Soca Warriors name, this moment also offers a chance to rally behind a new identity — one that captures the spirit, culture, resilience, and rhythm of Trinidad and Tobago football in 2025 and beyond.
However, not everyone is pleased with the shortlist. Critics argue that the 12 final name options — and even the original Soca Warriors name — have never fully reflected the diversity and complexity of Trinidad & Tobago’s national identity. From musical roots to regional pride, many fans are calling for something that truly resonates.
Still, the TTFA has handed the power to the people, and it’s now up to the supporters to shape the next era of T&T football.
📢 What name do YOU think fits best?
💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let your voice be part of history!
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