Career
A Fédération internationale de football association referee since January 1, 1994, his first international match was United States of America against Ireland, on June 9, 1996. He is most known for a controversial decision at the 2002 World Cup, where he did not award Marc Wilmots"s 0-1 goal in the game Brazil-Belgium. He apologized to Wilmots at half-time.
Prendergast also refereed Costa Rica - United States (2-1) in the qualification stages for the same World Cup, after which he was criticised for among other fanciful refereeing and not giving a clear penalty.
Prendergast"s error in the game Brazil-Belgium was one of the reasons for Fédération internationale de football association to abolish the rule that each country may only delegate one referee. Prendergast is bilingual, able to speak Spanish as well as his native English.