Advanced Referee Requirements
U.S. Soccer Referee Program
2026 Regional & National Referee Handout
Source document: "2026 Course Eligibility & Requirements," updated June 23, 2025
Important Reminder
- The U.S. Soccer document states that its information is a general outline of eligibility and certification/recertification requirements, plus additional information related to license acquisition.
- For detailed current requirements for each course, officials should review the Course Timeline in the U.S. Soccer Learning Center before enrolling.
- For requirements marked with (!), a request must be sent to referee@ussoccer.org to override automatic Learning Center course eligibility requirements.
- The source document states it was current as of June 23, 2025.
Referee Pathway Context
The referee pathway: Referee → Regional → National → Professional → FIFA
This handout focuses on Regional Referee, National Referee, National Assistant Referee, and directly related Emeritus, evaluation, fee, badge, materials, and instruction requirements.
Regional Referee — Course Summary
First-Time Regional Referee
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Delivery | Hybrid |
| Online duration | 5 hours |
| In-person duration | 2–3 hours |
Referee license in each of the two previous license years (or one year for adult amateur/professional players or coaches with a "C" license or higher). Must meet match-count rules.
Regional Referee Recertification
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Delivery | Online OR in-person |
| Online duration | 1 hour |
| In-person duration | 5–6 hours |
Regional Referee license in the previous license year. Must meet annual game-count rules.
First-Time Regional Referee — Detailed Requirements
| Age | 18 or older |
| Enrollment | Registration |
| Certification | Referee license for each of the two previous registration years. (One year if adult professional player or coach with "C" license or higher.) |
| Game experience | 25 games as referee AND 15 games as assistant referee at adult amateur level or above. (Not required for qualifying players/coaches.) |
| Safety & compliance | Background Screening · SafeSport training · Safe and Healthy Playing Environments |
| Training | Online/in-person Regional Referee training · Online Laws of the Game update · In-person practical training |
| Fitness test | FIFA Fitness Test (sprint and interval). Male: Women's Category 1. Female: Women's Category 3. Must be completed within current or previous registration year. |
| Evaluations | Three evaluations as referee within previous registration year. Final score average 8.0 or above. (2026 reg. year: July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025.) Adult amateur or above; max one U18/U19 match with 45-min halves. |
| 2026 Changes | Course materials updated · Clarification on evaluations (referee, not AR) and scoring · Introduction of in-person delivery option with U.S. Soccer Refereeing Way materials. |
Regional Referee Recertification — Detailed Requirements
| Age | 18 or older |
| Enrollment | Registration |
| Certification | At least one Regional Referee license in the previous three registration years, OR a career National Referee or National Assistant Referee license. |
| Safety & compliance | Background Screening · SafeSport training · Safe and Healthy Playing Environments |
| Training | Online or in-person Regional Referee recertification training · Online Laws of the Game update · In-person/virtual practical training |
| Fitness test | FIFA Fitness Test (sprint and interval). Male: Women's Category 1. Female: Women's Category 3. Must be completed within current registration year. |
| Evaluations | Two evaluations as referee within previous registration year. Final score average 8.0 or above. (2026 reg. year: July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025.) Adult amateur or above; max one U18/U19 match with 45-min halves. |
| 2026 Changes | Course materials updated · Evaluations clarified (referee, not AR) · In-person option introduced · Practical training materials provided as optional sessions. |
Regional Evaluations
| Who may evaluate | A Referee Coach or National Referee Coach |
| Acceptable matches | Adult amateur matches or above. U18/U19 matches with 45-minute halves. (High school and college not yet eligible.) |
| Fees | Set by the SRC |
| Submission | All 2026 Regional evaluations must be submitted in U.S. Soccer's RefEvals system. |
| Scoring — First-Time Regional | 3 games required, average 8.0+. |
| Recertification | 2 games required, average 8.0+. If the required average is not met, remove the lowest score and replace with one additional match; the adjusted average must be 8.0+. A second additional match is not permitted. |
National Referee / National Assistant Referee — Course Summary
First-Time National Referee / NAR
| Minimum age | 21 |
| Enrollment | Application (selected by U.S. Soccer) |
| Delivery | Online AND camp |
| In-person duration | Four days |
Recertifying National Referee / NAR
| Minimum age | 21 |
| Enrollment | Application (selected by U.S. Soccer) |
| Delivery | Online AND camp |
| In-person duration | Four days |
First-Time National Referee / NAR — Detailed Requirements
| Age | 21 or older |
| Enrollment | Application required · Selected by U.S. Soccer National Selection Committee |
| Certification | Regional Referee license in each of the two previous registration years |
| Game experience | 55 games at adult amateur or higher (incl. pro/international) · 40 as referee · 25 as assistant referee |
| Safety & compliance | Background Screening · SafeSport training · Safe and Healthy Playing Environments |
| Training | Online National Match Official training · Online Laws of the Game update · In-person National Camp |
| Fitness test | FIFA Fitness Test, all parts. Male: Men's Category 1. Female: Women's Category 1. |
| Evaluations | Minimum 3 National evaluations (referee or AR, relevant to license sought) by three different U.S. Soccer-credentialed National Referee Coaches. Period: July 1, 2024 through application deadline. |
| 2026 Change | Evaluation period adjusted to provide more time for officials to acquire evaluations. |
Recertifying National Referee / NAR — Detailed Requirements
| Age | 21 or older |
| Enrollment | Application required · Selected by U.S. Soccer National Selection Committee |
| Certification | National Match Official license in the previous registration year |
| Game experience | 12 games at adult amateur or higher (incl. pro/international) in previous registration year. Exemptions may apply for illness, injury, or pregnancy. |
| Safety & compliance | Background Screening · SafeSport training · Safe and Healthy Playing Environments |
| Training | Online National Match Official recertification training · Online Laws of the Game update · In-person National Camp |
| Fitness test | FIFA Fitness Test, all parts. Male: Men's Category 1. Female: Women's Category 1. |
| Evaluations | Minimum 3 National evaluations (referee or AR, relevant to license sought) by three different U.S. Soccer-credentialed National Referee Coaches. Period: July 1, 2024 through application deadline. |
| 2026 Changes | Game count clarified as annual requirement · Evaluation period adjusted. |
National Evaluations
Amateur Matches
Must be conducted by a U.S. Soccer National Referee Coach. Eligible competitions include USL Academy U20, NPSL, USSSA, UWS, WPSL, USASA competitions, and local state adult leagues.
Cost: $200.00 (covers all match officials on that match). Payment through the SRC — referees do not pay coaches directly.
Submitted in U.S. Soccer's RefEvals system.
PRO Matches
Eligible leagues: NWSL · USL Super League · USL Championship · USL League One. Additional: MLS Next Pro · USL Jägermeister Cup.
Fee when NRC is also PRO Observer: $100.00. Fee when NRC is not PRO Observer: $200.00. Payment must be made to the NRC before the game.
This is the only occasion where direct payment to a National Referee Coach is permitted.
Emeritus, Badges & Administrative Details
Regional Emeritus Referee
Minimum age: 45 · Delivery: Online only (1 hr)
Any combination of Regional Referee and/or Regional Emeritus licenses for at least 3 cumulative years. Background Screening, SafeSport, SHPE, Online Emeritus Course, Laws of the Game update. No fitness test. No 2026 changes.
National Emeritus Referee
Minimum age: 45 · Delivery: Online only (1 hr)
Any combination of National, PRO, FIFA, or National Emeritus licenses for at least 3 cumulative years. Background Screening, SafeSport, SHPE, Online Emeritus Course, Laws of the Game update. No fitness test. No 2026 changes.
Badges
Upon completion of a referee course, referees receive a badge from their SRC for their respective level (exception: National courses run by U.S. Soccer).
Green badge: Issued to anyone under 18 at the time of course completion; worn for the entirety of that registration year.
Course Fees & Surcharges
Course fees set by each SRC. U.S. Soccer surcharges:
- Emeritus / Regional: $37.50
- Regional Referee: $37.50
- National Referee or AR: $100.00
- PRO / FIFA: $100.00
Payment: Credit card (~3%) or ACH (0.8%, max $5.00)
Quick Checklists
First-Time Regional Referee
- 18 or older
- Referee license for each of previous 2 registration years (or qualifying exception)
- 25 referee games + 15 AR games at adult amateur or above
- Background Screening · SafeSport · SHPE
- Online/in-person Regional training
- Online Laws of the Game update
- In-person practical training
- FIFA Fitness Test (sprint and interval)
- 3 referee evaluations, avg 8.0+
Regional Recertification
- 18 or older
- Regional license in at least 1 of previous 3 years, or career National/NAR license
- Background Screening · SafeSport · SHPE
- Online or in-person recertification training
- Online Laws of the Game update
- In-person/virtual practical training
- FIFA Fitness Test (sprint and interval)
- 2 referee evaluations, avg 8.0+
First-Time National Referee / NAR
- 21 or older
- Application required · Selected by U.S. Soccer
- Regional license in each of previous 2 registration years
- 55 adult amateur+ games (40 referee, 25 AR)
- Background Screening · SafeSport · SHPE
- Online National training
- Online Laws of the Game update
- Attend and complete National Camp
- FIFA Fitness Test, all parts
- 3 National evaluations by 3 different NRCs
National Recertification
- 21 or older
- Application required · Selected by U.S. Soccer
- National Match Official license in previous year
- 12 adult amateur+ games in previous year (exemptions may apply)
- Background Screening · SafeSport · SHPE
- Online National recertification training
- Online Laws of the Game update
- Attend and complete National Camp
- FIFA Fitness Test, all parts
- 3 National evaluations by 3 different NRCs
