Next Year is Just Around the Corner - Recertification


  • Referees must register each year with U.S. Soccer through their State Referee Office. The governing documents of U.S. Soccer state that a referee must be registered for the current year to referee games affiliated with U.S. Soccer directly or indirectly. The Referee Administrative Handbook tells you what you need to do to recertify.
  • If you don't know when or where to recertify for the upcoming year, contact your State Referee Office at 847-690-9881 or info@illinoissoccerrefereecommittee.org in the fall or winter, before the beginning of the next year.
  • Referee registration for the calendar year with U.S. Soccer ends on June 30th of each year. If you want to referee in the fall, you must recertify before June of that year. You must be registered for a calendar year, before you take the field in that calendar year. 
  • If you wish to be considered for an upgrade, all information and documents needed for the upgrade process may be found by clicking on the "Referee" bar and then choosing "Referee Upgrade Process". You can also find the criteria for upgrading from grade to grade in the Referee Administrative Handbook, which you should receive at your entry level clinic. If you lose this book, you can also find it at http://www.ussoccer.com/Referees/Referee-Development/Instructional-Materials.aspx. 
  • If you miss a year of registration, you can register once again by taking a recertification course and passing the test. However, you cannot register until after January 1 of the year for which you are registered.