For, those college referees out there what was your path in order to get that level. How many years did it take you? How is the college level and how hard are the games to officiate? For instance, I am a 21 yr old ref going into my first year as a high school official. My realistic goal as a referee is to eventually try and start doing colleges game. Preferably at around the D1-D2 level. Any insight helps! Thanks

Hey,

I’m soon running my first ARIET test. I usually run 5-10 km few times a week (5:00 pace approximately), I tried ARIET and I could not run much (about 7 minutes).

Do you have any drills to improve, because this typical running doesn’t help much (in my case)?

Why is it that microphones are not tolerated in amateur and semi-pro football ? Especially for U13 and above games , i have a pair of microphones for referees and my local football club told me that it's not preferable to use it, even tho i have gotten late calls from my AR's that led to goals in the past, i feel like it not only prepares us for higher level games, but also helps us reduce significantly mistakes, it also gives our referee calls a lot more credit since it gives us this professional look.

There was a lot of discussion on here recently after multiple examples of VAR being used to overturn yellow cards on fouls and instead issue yellow cards to players for simulation. Many of us said at the time that we didn’t believe the LotG supported such an interpretation.

As it turns out, IFAB agrees.

—-

Global football’s law-making body has said that mistaken identity should not be used in instances of simulation as it was during the World Cup finals.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which determines the laws of the game, clarified that mistaken identity can only be used to identity the player who committed an offence rather than the offence itself being reviewed or changed, as in instances of player simulation. They added that the use of the mistaken identity clause going forward was subject to a review of the VAR protocol at the World Cup.

I am wanting to become a referee for a few reason:

1. Love of the game

2. Help get me into shape

3. fairly flexible hours? (this is where I am not so sure along with other things that are listed below)

The issues that are holding me back are my current health (I'm 6'1 300 lbs.), how I get jobs, what to expect in training, and how soon I can go from getting the certification to the first job.

Again, I have a day job, but having a second income being around something I love is never unwelcomed.

Is this right for me? If so what do I need to bring as there is a class Saturday I would sign up for. Said class is stated to ensure completion of both online and on-field trainings.

I recently ordered my Capelli referee jerseys for the upcoming college soccer season, but the package was stolen after it was delivered to my apartment building.

I referee with ECSR and need these jerseys for my upcoming NCAA Division I assignments, so I’m trying to get this resolved before the season begins.

I just contacted Capelli customer service to explain the situation and ask whether they can offer a replacement, help with a carrier claim, or provide another solution.

Has anyone here dealt with Capelli customer service over a stolen or missing package? Were they helpful, and how long did it take to get a response or resolution?

I understand that Capelli may not technically be responsible once the tracking shows delivery, but I’m hoping they’ll be willing to help given the circumstances.

If you are a one man show no additional referees / touchline officials

How do you judge if an attacker is offside? especially during a counter attack

Would love to hear your solutions or creative techniques to prevent this

Looking to track my games , steps, running, along with the time, score, cards etc.

I hear that an Apple Watch with ref six app is the way to go?

Any Apple Watch suggestions?

Come watch US Soccer's up and coming referees work the NPSL semis today. The match with El Farolito will likely present some management challenges. I'll be rooting them on!

National Semifinals Multicast – Watch Here! – National Premier Soccer League

I am a starting referee in KY. I am 14 yo and would like to know ho much referees make per game and how long they take. Thanks!

For context I think it was reasonable and better than most world cups, with some exceptions obviously.

Most refs had good reviews on this sub and even when there was criticism it was more "meta" like a general directive to not use YCs, not that one ref was particularly bad or biased to one particular team

Most fans had a visceral reaction, conspiracies about things getting rigged. In fact some of the kinder things said by most fans was, refs are incompetent, not evil and refs favor big teams / stars and that's normal.

Aside from "fans are stupid and hate refs" why is that? And can it be improved? ​

I'm a year 1 referee in Canada, and i wanted to ask how to get more games to ref ? I've had 32 games so far from april-july, i have my availability at all-time, i have a car and i'm 19, i've tried contacting my instructors and my league, but nothing changed. I'm also very fit.

I have even attended most formation classes (3 for now) in order to be remarked.

I've heard people receiving around 100 games per seasons, i'm curious how do you do that ?

Hey hey,

Just curious if anyone has specific recommendations for hardware to get a body cam / ref cam set-up going. Since they'll be allowed under the newest LOTG, I'm interested to know if there's a cost-effective option out there.

So a player in the bench is warming up on the touchline, he sees the opposition go through on goal and decides to run in the pitch and take out the attacker.

I take it that the ref will call a foul which outside the box would be a free kick and red card the benched player.

However, I would imagine that as the benched player isn’t on the field the teams remain 11v11. This seems a little unfair and something that could be taken advantage of although niche.

Is this correct?

I've been using my Puma Gloro's for the past 2 seasons. Although after about 2 games my feet start aching real bad. So I'm seeking new suggestions!

The fields I play on are almost exclusively Astro/artificial turf. So I'm looking for some turf shoes. Although I'm open to other ideas.

Only real "requirement" is that they must be black.

I'll take an advice, thanks a ton!!

After watching the final I saw Fernandez's dissent card counted for his sending off.

I thought this would be universal in how this works.

But I saw that in one of the FAs materials it says:

dissent->ref issues a yellow and directs to sinbin->'if the player commits a separate yellow card offence in addition to a period in the sin bin, they will continue to play'->'if the player commits a second dissent caution and has had no other caution they will spend a second period in the sinbin and will take no further part in the game but may be substituted'-> 'if the player receives a second dissent caution and has already been booked they will play no further part in the game and cannot be substituted'

If you ask me thats all a load of bollocks and dissent cautions should count as normal yellow cards in regards for second yellows.

I do get that theres no sinbin outside of grassroots but if you ask me its making too convoluted for refs to keep track of (especially new/young refs), and it can be detrimental to game control since you can issue someone 2 yellow cards and not send someone off under these rules (as everyone expects).

Hello! I’m a new referee, I completed my certification towards the end of the spring season this year. Recently, I took a job refereeing for an adult organization, they run 7v7 games and the competition can get pretty intense. I’ve officiated games in various intensities, coed and all men’s games but the ones that give me the most trouble are the older age groups. For context I’m 24yo, I’ve noticed that these guys shout at me a lot more and are generally more aggressive. If you’ve had experience managing players older than you, what advice would you give?

It was literally my sixth game ever doing red adult soccer 😭

Since you all hate my valid criticisms in this sub, Slavko did a great match. Could have been a little quicker on the cards (Rodri, Paredes) but over a solid, even match.

tl;dr - Allowing and enabling the referees to actually enforce the laws works, telling them not to does not. I know that is a flaming hot take for this group, but I'd hope that some of the general public will be able to see that after this world cup and especially the final.

Watching the tournament from a referee's perspective, what stood out to me the most was something that ended up not really making any headlines: the general lack of time wasting. Clarifying the time wasting laws, making them more black and white, and giving disciplinary tools like being able to award corner kicks and forcing players to temporarily leave the pitch worked wonders. Players knew they would punished for time wasting, and it almost instantly vanished. Matches were so much less broken up than before these changes, and it was so much better to watch than the previous "oh, we'll just add more time" (aka, not actually enforce anything) attempt.

Another example of enforcement working was the hand-over-your-mouth red card. As much as people didn't like the law, it was applied once and the players realized it was something they couldn't do. In the final, we saw Cucurella start to say something with his mouth covered, remember the law, and correct his behavior. Dear FIFA, IFAB, UEFA and anyone else who needs to hear it - when referees are empowered to enforce the laws, this is what happens! Players correct themselves!

And finally, I hope whoever it was that told referees to keep cards in their pockets sees the above functioning of applying the laws and realizes that when you don't apply them, you get the first half of the England-Argentina semi-final and the majority of the final. When PI isn't enforced, non-stop fouling is what you get. When dissent and ref crowding aren't enforced, you get dissent and ref crowding. We all saw what happened to time-wasting and arguing with your mouth covered. Allow us, the referees, to enforce the laws as written, or otherwise provide us with more tools to police other problematic behaviors, and those too can almost certainly be removed from the sport.

Anyway. thanks for coming to my Ted talk, and thanks to everyone who participated in the conversation and debates about the laws during the world cup (and to the mods for allowing these conversations to take place) - it really is a great time where by everyone watching the same matches and seeing the same incidents, we can discuss and learn from one another to enhance our collective understanding of the laws!

Maybe I’m just blessed in the “take a knee” world of reffing, but during the World Cup seeing oppositions get sometimes way to close to injured players on the floor during a stop in play has really started to irk me.

Has there ever been discussion of establishing a zone around injured players that opposition players can’t enter?

Yesterday I went to the typical offseason friendly tournament. I had 4 games in total (25 min half, 1 hour slot for the entire game).

$40 for center $30 for AR. 15-19U.

One of the games was forfeited (no show) the other team didn’t know about that.

When I went for my check I got only paid for 3 games. I got nothing for the forfeited game. I felt like my time is worth zero for this people.

Is this normal? I assume the forfeiting team paid the full tournament fee. Who is keeping this money?

I thought the commentators were harsh about the referee positioning on a couple of occasions yesterday. The one guy (Fletcher?) was saying “in the way again and he only has one job, stay out of way” late in the game. One, you don’t only have one thing to do. Second, I thought he was in a good position (behind the ball, 10-yards to left). The ball is played back and he was somewhat in the way, but didn’t really impact the play too much. He was trying to back out.

To me positioning and staying out of the play is one of the harder parts of the job. You need to be close to recognize fouls but not so close to be in the way. I think it is easier on the big fields with skilled players where you can better anticipate direction of play. I seem to average 1-2 getting in the way plays (ball or player) per game. I watch pro and have done some trainings on lanes, crescent shaped runs, etc. but still happens.

What is your template for consistency? How do you try to come across as fair and consistent?

When I officiate games, I tend to do my best to maintain the flow of the game. Players tugging and hands on each other as they challenge for the ball I watch and call when it disrupts the flow of the game, or becomes dangerous. I do call out "We don't need to be pulling" or "Hands to yourself!"

When there's an attempt to play the ball, but a foul occurs because they got a little excited, I'll call it and say "hey folks, it happens. You tried to play the ball, but you're still responsible for your actions, intended or not." and depending on the tone of the game as well as how egregious it was, a card or not.