Speakers 2026
Juan Morales, Spectrum & Radio Technology Manager, FIFA World Cup 2026
Juan C. Morales is a telecommunications and spectrum management executive with more than two decades of operational leadership experience spanning global sporting events and U.S. defense operations. Originally from Ponce, Puerto Rico, Juan enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at 19 years old and served 23 years, completing multiple combat deployments and rising to Senior Enlisted leadership role, Communications Chief and spectrum professional.
Throughout his Marine Corps career, Juan led communications units in complex and high-risk environments, overseeing tactical and strategic radio systems, RF planning, and electromagnetic spectrum operations. He directed spectrum allocation, interference mitigation, and mission-critical communications architecture while advising senior leaders in multinational operational settings. As a senior enlisted leader and Foreign Area Advisor for Latin America, he provided strategic guidance, strengthened international defense partnerships, and ensured operational readiness across joint and interagency environments.
He currently serves as Spectrum & Radio Technology Manager for the FIFA World Cup 2026, overseeing spectrum planning, licensing, regulatory coordination, and mobile network readiness across North America. In this role, he leads coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), and Mexico’s Agencia de Transformación Digital y Telecomunicaciones (ATDT) to secure temporary spectrum authorizations and ensure regulatory compliance across multiple host nations. He previously led spectrum operations for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 across 12 U.S. venues, implementing the FIFA Spectrum Plan and delivering zero incidents—setting the foundation for World Cup 2026.
Earlier in his civilian career, Juan served as an Electronic Warfare SME and Spectrum Manager supporting U.S. Navy systems, providing RF engineering expertise and coordinating spectrum authorization with the NTIA for federal operations.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security with a focus in Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism and is formally certified in Electromagnetic Spectrum Management. He is bilingual in English and Spanish.
From combat deployments to directing communications operations for the world’s largest sporting events, Juan Morales has built his career on disciplined leadership, technical mastery, and mission-focused execution within the electromagnetic spectrum domain.