2021 Referee Certification Requirements Summary
Certification and annual recertification requirements for all referees.
New Referees:
Online Grassroots Referee Instruction
Online Grassroots Referee Test
Safe Soccer Training/Healthy and Safe Playing Environment
SafeSports Training (18 and older)
Background Check/Risk Management (18 and older)
Classroom Instruction - 2 hours (Canceled due to COVID)
Field Instruction Session - 4 hours
Mentoring: After initial certification, new referees should be mentored at/after games
Recertification Grassroots Referees:
Online Grassroots Referee Instruction
Online Grassroots Referee Recertification Test
Safe Soccer Training/Healthy and Safe Playing Environment
SafeSports Training (18 and older)
Background Check/Risk Management (18 and older)
Classroom Instruction - 2.5 hours (Canceled due to COVID)
Mentoring: Periodically, referees should be mentored at/after games
New Regional Referee:
Minimum three years as a grassroots referee
At least 18 years old
Minimum adult game count, 11v11, two 45-minute halves (must be documented):
- USSF affiliated
- 50 as a referee
- 25 as an assistant referee
Online Regional Referee Test
Safe Soccer Training/Healthy and Safe Playing Environment
SafeSports Training
Background Check/Risk Management
Regional Referee Course and Field Instruction (after game count and assessment requirements have been met)
Annual recertification instruction - 4 hours
Assessments:
- Three (3) Passing Evaluations as a Referee
- Two at the Adult Amateur Level, 11v11, two 45-minute halves
- One at the Highest Youth Level (U18 or U19), 11v11, two 45-minute halves
- Evaluations must be done by three different Referee Coaches
- One (1) passing Evaluation as an Assistant Referee at the Adult Amateur Level
Physical Fitness Test
- Male – 40-meter sprints, 6.40 seconds; 75/25-meter interval run/walk, 17/20 seconds
- Female – 40-meter sprints, 6.6 seconds; 75/25-meter interval run/walk, 17/24 seconds
Regional Referee Recertification:
Online Regional Referee Test
Safe Soccer Training/Healthy and Safe Playing Environment
SafeSports Training
Background Check/Risk Management
Annual recertification instruction - 4 hours
Assessments
- Three (3) Passing Evaluations as a Referee
- Two at the Adult Amateur Level, 11v11, two 45-minute halves
- One at the Highest Youth Level (U18 or U19), 11v11, two 45-minute halves
- Evaluations must be done by three different Referee Coaches
- One (1) passing Evaluation as an Assistant Referee at the Adult Amateur Level
Physical Fitness Test
- Male – 40-meter sprints, 6.40 seconds; 75/25-meter interval run/walk, 17/20 seconds
- Female – 40-meter sprints, 6.6 seconds; 75/25-meter interval run/walk, 17/24 seconds
Emeritus Referee Recertification:
Emeritus referees will complete the online annual training. No in-person training is required this year due to COVID restrictions.
Futsal Referee:
Futsal referee certification and recertification requirements can be found here.
Posted Nov 1, 2020