Before Game Day
Confirm Your Assignment
Referees should regularly review their Assignr account and:
- Accept or decline assignments promptly
- Confirm the date, kickoff time, venue, field, age group, and position
- Review any game notes or special instructions
- Enter and maintain accurate availability
- Notify the assignor immediately if a conflict develops
Review the Competition Rules
Before arriving, review the rules that apply to the assigned competition.
These may include:
- Match length
- Ball size
- Substitution rules
- Roster and check-in requirements
- Build-out line rules
- Heading restrictions
- Slide-tackle restrictions
- Player-pass requirements
- Overtime or tie procedures
- Scoring rules
- Referee payment procedures
RULES
- ACSL
- NWAL & CAL
- CARL
Prepare Your Equipment
Bring:
- Current referee uniform
- Alternate jersey color when available
- Black shorts and socks
- Whistle and backup whistle
- Yellow and red cards
- Watch and backup timing method
- Coin
- Pen or pencil
- Match record card or notebook
- Assistant referee flags when assigned
- Water
- Weather-appropriate gear
Arrival Time
Unless a competition gives a different instruction, referee crews should plan to arrive:
- At least 30 minutes before kickoff for normal league games
- Earlier for tournaments, State Cup, adult competition, or matches requiring formal roster check-in
The referee crew should meet before the game and confirm:
- Referee positions
- Pre-game responsibilities
- Communication and signals
- Substitution procedures
- Match-specific rules
- How unusual incidents will be managed
Field and Equipment Inspection
The referee crew should inspect:
- Field markings
- Goals and goal anchors
- Nets
- Corner flags
- Player and spectator areas
- Match balls
- Visible hazards
- Weather or field conditions
Unsafe conditions should be reported to the home club representative, field marshal, or assignor.
Do not begin a match with an unsecured goal or another condition that creates an immediate safety risk.
Team Check-In
The referee crew should follow the competition’s required check-in process.
Depending on the league, this may include:
- Reviewing the official digital roster
- Checking player eligibility
- Reviewing coach or staff credentials
- Confirming player jersey numbers
- Inspecting player equipment
- Identifying any guest or club-pass players
- Confirming that no ineligible participant is present
Player Equipment
Players should not participate while wearing unsafe equipment.
The referee should check for:
- Jewelry
- Hard or unsafe casts and braces
- Improper footwear
- Dangerous equipment
- Uniform conflicts
- Shin guards
- Goalkeeper colors
- Items prohibited by the competition rules
During the Match
Referees are expected to:
- Apply the Laws of the Game and competition rules
- Prioritize player safety
- Manage the match professionally
- Communicate respectfully
- Track goals, cautions, send-offs, and significant incidents
- Maintain accurate time
- Use the proper substitution process
- Work as a coordinated referee crew
Weather, Delays, and Cancellations
Referees should:
- Monitor Assignr and official communication channels
- Do not assume a game is canceled because of weather unless notified through the approved process
- Follow lightning and severe-weather procedures
- Document late cancellations or no-shows
- Notify the assignor of any field closure, delay, abandonment, or unusual circumstance
After the Match
The referee crew should:
- Confirm the final score
- Complete any required game report
- Report cautions and send-offs accurately
- Submit supplemental reports for serious incidents
- Report team or referee no-shows
- Report field, spectator, coach, or safety concerns
- Follow the required payment procedure
- Contact the assignor when immediate follow-up is necessary
Match Reports
Reports should be:
- Factual
- Specific
- Timely
- Professional
- Free from opinion or emotional wording
A report should identify:
- Match
- Date and location
- Teams
- Individuals involved
- Approximate time of incident
- Exact behavior observed
- Action taken by the referee
- Any relevant events after the decision