Become A Referee

In an effort to improve and standardize all instruction for New Soccer Referees in the United States, U.S. Soccer has developed a new model for training persons interested in taking up soccer officiating, The Michigan Referee Committee has put its efforts in following this new model. The following will give you the information you need to complete the requirements to become a USSF Referee.

We ask you utilize the following directions if you are a “NEW REFEREE” and are 13 years old as of the date that you seek to complete training requirements.

Before you begin: You will need to register in two systems, and these systems need to be able to link together later in the process. WRITE DOWN your user name/email. Use the same information (don’t be “Jonathon” in one and “Jon” in the other). Each referee will need a non-shared primary email address for the U.S. Soccer system. During registration there is a place for a shared (can be used by several referees in the same family) second email address.

Click on the U.S. Soccer Link below, this will take you to U.S. Soccer’s Learning Center. There you will create a New account and Complete the on-line Grassroots Referee Course (select Courses > Grassroots Courses > New Referee > Online Course). This 4.5 hour e-learning experience prepares candidates for their assigned tasks and responsibilities as a Grassroots Referee. The course fee for this online experience is $20 which covers U.S. Soccer’s registration fee. The course does not need to be completed during a continuous session, you can stop and later return to the same spot you left. If you are 18 years or older, the system will require you to complete the “Safe Sport Training” (which will take approximately another three hours of training). 

U.S. Soccer Link:  https://learning.ussoccer.com/referee/courses/available/1/details/1

At the completion of the training at the U.S. Soccer’s Learning Center, you will then come back to this page and you will be ready for the in-person portion of the course.

Clicking on the Michiganrefs.gameofficials.net link below will take you to the Registration, Learning and Course Management home page. You will need to create a NEW REFEREE account enabling you to register for the In-Person portion of your Referee Training. Select the Grass Root Referee Courses available and choose a location that fits your schedule.

Registration for the course will require a payment of $47.50

If you are 18 years or older, the system will perform a background check on you, for which you will need to pass before you can be fully registered as a Referee. There will be other online modules attached to the course you will need to be completed before attending the In-Person class. After completion of all of these requirements you will receive a Referee Badge and you will be registered as a Grass Roots Referee. Afterwards, you will be ready to contact assignors for game assignments.

Michiganrefs.gameofficials.net link: https://michiganrefs.gameofficials.net/public/class/classSearch.cfm?classTypeID=0

Feel free to contact Carlos Folino at sra@michiganrefs.org if you have any questions