U.S. Soccer Referee Program
2023 License Pathway
IT BEGINS WITH A REFEREE
REFEREE PATHWAY
GRASSROOTS LICENSE CERTIFICATION
GRASSROOT CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
AGE 13 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER
ENROLLMENT REGISTRATION
PREVIOUS GAME EXPERIENCE NA
PREVIOUS CERTIFICATION EXPERIENCE NA
TRAINING ONLINE and INPERSON FIELD SESSION
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
SAFESPORT TRAINED
SAFE and HEALTHY PLAYING ENVIRONMENTS
BACKGROUND CHECK (18 yrs. and older)
LAWS OF THE GAME UPDATES ONLINE – GRASSROOTS QUIZ
FITNESS TEST
NONE REQUIRED
DETERMINED BY COMPETITION
PRACTICAL EVALUATION NA
GRASSROOTS LICENSE RE-CERTIFICATION
GRASSROOT RE-CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
ENROLLMENT REGISTRATION
TRAINING
ONLINE
NO IN-PERSON SESSION NEEDED
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
SAFESPORT TRAINED
SAFE and HEALTHY PLAYING ENVIRONMENTS
BACKGROUND CHECK (18 yrs. and older)
LAWS OF THE GAME UPDATES ONLINE – GRASSROOTS QUIZ
FITNESS TEST
NONE REQUIRED
DETERMINED BY COMPETITION IF APPLICABLE
PRACTICAL EVALUATION NA
REFEREE PATHWAY
REGIONAL REFEREE LICENSE CERTIFICATION
REGIONAL CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
AGE 18 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER
ENROLLMENT REGISTRATION
PREVIOUS GAME EXPERIENCE
25 GAMES AS A REFEREE AND 15 AS AN ASSISTANT REFEREE
AT THE ADULT AMATEUR LEVEL
PREVIOUS CERTIFICATION EXPERIENCE
MUST HAVE HELD A GRASSROOTS LICENSE DURING THE
PREVIOUS 3 REGISTRATION YEARS
TRAINING REGIONAL REFEREE COURSE and INPERSON FIELD SESSION
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
SAFESPORT TRAINED
SAFE and HEALTHY PLAYING ENVIRONMENTS
BACKGROUND CHECK
LAWS OF THE GAME UPDATE and TEST ONLINE – NATIONAL TEST
FITNESS TEST
SPRINT / INTERVAL TESTS
(FIFA WOMEN’S REFEREE TEST)
Male – Category 1
Female – Category 3
PRACTICAL EVALUATION
MINIMUM OF THREE (3) PASSING
EVALUATIONS AS A
REFEREE.
TWO (2) AT THE ADULT AMATEUR LEVEL, ONE (1) AT THE
HIGHEST YOUTH LEVEL (U18 or U19) (2 X 45 - minute half)
EVALUATIONS MUST BE DONE BY THREE (3) DIFFERENT
REFEREE COACHES
FOR ALL THREE GAMES
REGIONAL REFEREE LICENSE RE-CERTIFICATION
REGIONAL RE-CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
ENROLLMENT
REGISTRATION
MUST HAVE HELD A REGIONA LICENSE IN THE PREVIOUS
REGISTRATION YEAR
TRAINING ONLINE AND IN PERSON FIELD SESSION
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
SAFESPORT TRAINED
SAFE and HEALTHY PLAYING ENVIRONMENTS
BACKGROUND CHECK
LAWS OF THE GAME UPDATE and TEST ONLINE – NATIONAL LAWS OF THE GAMETEST
FITNESS
SPRINT / INTERVAL TESTS
(FIFA WOMEN’S REFEREE TEST)
Male – Category 1
Female – Category 3
PRACTICAL EVALUATION
TWO (2) PASSING REFEREE EVALUATIONS.
ONE AT THE ADULT AMATEUR LEVEL
ONE AT THE HIGHEST YOUTH LEVEL (U18 or U19)
(2 X 45-minute half)
EVALUTIONS MUST BE DONE BY TWO DIFFERENT REFEREE
COACHES
REGIONAL REFEREE LICENSE CERTIFICATION/RECERTIFICATION
GAME EVALUATIONS
• For Regional Referee certification, candidates may use three (3)
adult games to satisfy the practical evaluation requirement for
certification
• For Regional Referee recertification, candidates may use two (2)
adult games to satisfy the practical evaluation requirement for
certification
• State Referee Committees cannot mandate that candidates use all
adult games to satisfy the practical evaluation requirement
REGIONAL REFEREE LICENSE CERTIFICATION/RECERTIFICATION
• For the 2022-2023 Registration Year (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023)
• Regional Referee fitness tests are required for all certifying and recertifying
Regional Referee candidates
REGIONAL and NATIONAL REFEREE EMERITUS
REGIONAL AND NATIONAL REFEREE EMERITUS CERTIFICATION and
RECERTIFICATIONREQUIREMENTS
ENROLLMENT – MINIMUM AGE 45 REGISTRATION
PREVIOUS GAME EXPERIENCE
3 YEARS REGISTERED AS A REGIONAL OR NATIONAL OFFICIAL
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
SAFESPORT TRAINED
SAFE and HEALTHY PLAYING ENVIRONMENTS
BACKGROUND CHECK
TRAINING and Testing ONLINE – NATIONAL LAWS OF THE GAME TEST
FITNESS TEST NOT REQUIRED
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
NOT REQUIRED
REFEREE EMERITUS
• The purpose of the emeritus license is to retire from the highest level
the referee has attained. It may not be used to circumvent the
fitness testing and registration procedures of U.S. Soccer
• The emeritus license allows a National or Regional official the option
of retiring from those levels of officiating while retaining that license
and continuing to referee at a lower level
REFEREE EMERITUS
• An emeritus referee may reinstate as an active official at the license
level the official retired from once all the game criteria for the license
has been met for recertification including the following.
• Passing the fitness test for the license
• Completed the number of evaluations for the license
REFEREE PATHWAY
NATIONAL REFEREE LICENSE CERTIFICATION
• The selection process begins with the candidate filling out an application
stating they wish to be considered as a national official.
• State Referee Committees are responsible for providing the past two
consecutive fitness test results on every candidate from their state.
• Candidates are responsible to provide their cumulative game count on the
games worked as a referee and assistant referee.
NATIONAL REFEREE / ASSISTANT REFEREE LICENSE CERTIFICATION
NATIONAL CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
ENROLLMENT
SELECTED BY U.S. SOCCER NATIONAL REFEREE SELECTION
COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS GAME EXPERIENCE
65 GAMES AT THE ADULT AMATUER LEVEL
REFEREE (40) AND ASSISTANT REFEREE (25)
PREVIOUS CERTIFICATION EXPERIENCE
MUST HAVE HELD A REGIONAL LICENSE FOR THE PREVIOUS
TWO REGISTRATION YEARS
TRAINING ATTEND and SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE NATIONAL CAMP
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
SAFESPORT TRAINED
SAFE and HEALTHY PLAYING ENVIRONMENTS
NATIONAL BACKGROUND CHECK
LAWS OF THE GAME UPDATE and TEST ONLINE – NATIONAL TEST
FITNESS TEST
FIFA FITNESS TEST
(REFEREE OR AR and GENDER SPECIFIC)
Category 1
PRACTICAL EVALUATION
MINIMUM OF THREE (3) PASSING NATIONAL EVALUATIONS AS
EITHER REFEREE or AR
MUST BE BY THREE DIFFERENT NATIONAL REFEREE COACHES
NATIONAL REFEREE / ASSISTANT REFEREE LICENSE RE-CERTIFICATION
NATIONAL RE-CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
ENROLLMENT
SELECTED BY U.S. SOCCER
NATIONAL REFEREE SELECTION COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS GAME EXPERIENCE
12 GAMES AS A REFEREE OR 12 GAMES AS AN ASSISTANT
REFEREE IN AMATEUR ADULT GAMES OR HIGHER LEVEL
(PROFESSIONAL or INTERNATIONAL)
PREVIOUS CERTIFICATION EXPERIENCE PREVIOUS YEAR AS A NATIONAL OFFICIAL
TRAINING
ATTEND and SUCESSFULLY COMPLETE
NATIONAL CAMP
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
SAFESPORT TRAINED
SAFE and HEALTHY PLAYING ENVIRONMENTS
NATIONAL (NCSI) BACKGROUND CHECK
LAWS OF THE GAME UPDATE and TEST ONLINE – NATIONAL TEST
FITNESS TEST
FIFA FITNESS TEST
(REFEREE OR AR and GENDER SPECIFIC)
Category 1
PRACTICAL EVALUATION
MINIMUM OF THREE (3) PASSING NATIONAL EVALUATIONS AS
EITHER REFEREE or AR
MUST BE BY THREE DIFFERENT NATIONAL REFEREE COACHES
REFEREE PATHWAY
P.R.O. LICENSE CERTIFICATION
P.R.O. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
ENROLLMENT SELECTED BY PRO
PREVIOUS GAME EXPERIENCE DETERMINED BY PRO
PREVIOUS CERTIFICATION EXPERIENCE MINIMUM OF 2 YEARS AS NATIONAL REFEREE
TRAINING PRO PRESEASON CAMP
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
SAFESPORT TRAINED
SAFE and HEALTHY PLAYING ENVIRONMENTS
NATIONAL BACKGROUND CHECK
LAWS OF THE GAME TEST ONLINE – NATIONAL TEST
FITNESS TEST
FIFA FITNESS TEST
(REFEREE OR AR & GENDER SPECIFIC)
PRACTICAL EVALUATION
PASSING P.R.O. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
(BASED ON PRO/PSRA CBA)
P.R.O. LICENSE RE-CERTIFICATION
P.R.O. RE-CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
ENROLLMENT SELECTED BY PRO
PREVIOUS GAME EXPERIENCE
10 GAMES AS A REFEREE OR 10 GAMES AS AN ASSISTANT
REFEREE
PREVIOUS CERTIFICATION EXPERIENCE PREVIOUS YEAR AS P.R.O. OFFICIAL
TRAINING PRO PRESEASON CAMP
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
SAFESPORT TRAINED
SAFE and HEALTHY PLAYING ENVIRONMENTS
NATIONAL BACKGROUND CHECK
LAWS OF THE GAME TEST ONLINE – NATIONAL TEST
FITNESS TEST
FIFA FITNESS TEST
(REFEREE OR AR & GENDER SPECIFIC)
PRACTICAL EVALUATION
PASSING P.R.O.‘s ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
(BASED ON PRO/PSRA CBA)
REFEREE PATHWAY
FIFA CERTIFICATION
FIFA CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
ENROLLMENT
RECOMMENDED BY
U.S. SOCCER REFEREE COMMITTEE
APPROVED BY USSF BOD
PREVIOUS GAME EXPERIENCE
TWO (2) YEARS WORKING IN THE DIVISION I PROFESSIONAL
LEAGUES
PREVIOUS CERTIFICATION EXPERIENCE
MINIMUM OF TWO (2) YEARS
AS PROFESSIONAL REFEREE
TRAINING PRO PRESEASON CAMP
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
SAFESPORT TRAINED
SAFE and HEALTHY PLAYING ENVIRONMENTS
NATIONAL (NCSI) BACKGROUND CHECK
LAWS OF THE GAME TEST ONLINE – NATIONAL TEST
FITNESS TEST
FIFA FITNESS TEST
(REFEREE OR AR & GENDER SPECIFIC)
PRACTICAL EVALUATION
PASSING P.R.O. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
(BASED ON PRO/PSRA CBA)
FIFA RE-CERTIFICATION
FIFA RE-CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
ENROLLMENT
RECOMMENDED BY U.S. SOCCER REFCO
APPROVED BY USSF BOD
PREVIOUS GAME EXPERIENCE
PREVIOUS SEASON WORKING IN THE DIVISION I
PROFESSIONAL LEAGUES
PREVIOUS CERTIFICATION EXPERIENCE
PREVIOUS SEASON
AS A FIFA REFEREE or AR
TRAINING PRO PRESEASON CAMP
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
SAFESPORT TRAINED
SAFE and HEALTHY PLAYING ENVIRONMENTS
NATIONAL (NCSI) BACKGROUND CHECK
LAWS OF THE GAME TEST ONLINE – NATIONAL TEST
FITNESS TEST
FIFA FITNESS TEST
(REFEREE OR AR & GENDER SPECIFIC)
PRACTICAL EVALUATION
PASSING EVALUATIONS AT
CONCACAF or FIFA COMPETITIONS
