Making the Game Fun, Fair, and Safe for Every Player, Coach, and Fan

Referees are as critical to soccer as players and coaches. In AYSO, the game cannot be played if there are not enough referees. Its most common for a volunteer to begin their AYSO referee career by refereeing their own child's game. However, as they learn the rules, develop their own techniques for managing players, coaches and fans, and gain an appreciation for how important the role of the referee is to a fun, fair and safe soccer experience, they often find it very rewarding to expand their knowledge and experience through AYSOs advanced training and certification process. AYSO’s referee training is considered some of the best in the U.S. and includes both in-person courses in your community and online opportunities. Soccer knowledge is a plus, but is certainly not required. The AYSO referee training will give you all you need to know to have a fun and terrific experience on the field.

World-Class Training, Right Here in Our Community

AYSO's referee training is recognized as some of the best in the country - and it's completely free. You start with a certification for the age group you'll be refereeing, and that's all you need to get on the field. From there, if you want to keep growing, AYSO offers a full pathway of advanced certifications and continuing education at no cost — you go as far as you want to go.

Training includes both in-person sessions in our community and online coursework, so it works around your schedule. No soccer background required. The training gives you everything you need to step onto the field with confidence.

And the skills and certifications you earn here are recognized more broadly in the soccer world - so if refereeing is something you want to pursue beyond AYSO, you'll have a foundation to build on.

A Note on U10 Teams and above

Every U10+ team in our region is required to provide a trained referee each week. It's one of the ways we keep the program running, and it's a role that's more approachable than most people expect once they've been through training.

Start Young: Our Youth Referee Program

One of the things we're proud of is our youth referee program. Young adults can begin their referee journey as early as age 10, starting as an Assistant Referee and developing their skills from there. It's a genuine opportunity - not just a volunteer slot - to build confidence, develop leadership, and gain experience that looks great on a résumé or college application. A lot of our best referees got their start this way.

If you have a young person in your family who's interested, we'd love to talk to them.

We Need You

Whether you're a parent looking to get involved, a former player who loves the game, or a young adult ready to take on a real responsibility — there's a place for you in our referee program.

Find out more about refereeing at aysovolunteers.org