As with players and coaches, the National League provides a platform referees to grow and develop while gaining valuable experiences in the game. With competitions across the country at both the national level and the multi-state level, there are plenty of opportunities for referees to get involved.
National Events
THE EXPERIENCE
National events provide referees from around the country with an opportunity to officiate in a highly-competitive, professional-like environment. Matches at national events utilize four-person referee crews, as each game is meaningful and features top teams in the country vying for advancement to the USYS National Championships and The National League Cup.
- Complimentary lunch, water and snacks at the fields every day
- Referees are solely responsible for making their own transportation arrangements to, from, and during the events. This includes to and from the fields each day
- To receive complimentary shared hotel room and travel stipend, referees must be 18 years of age, live at least 75 miles from the venue, and work at least three games per day, for three days
- A travel stipend, if commuting more than 60 miles to the venue:
- $50 for in-state grassroots referees and $125 for grassroots referees from outside the state
- $100 for in-state regional referees and $225 for regional referees from outside the state
- $250 for national referees
- Game fees are:
- 13U-14U: $70/$57/$57/$35
- 15U-16U: $80/$62/$62/$35
- 17U-19U: $85/$67/$67/$35
HOW TO GET INVOLVED…
Info for the 2025-26 season is coming soon…
Preference for national events will be given to those referees who have worked league matches within their state or who have represented their state at the USYS Regional Championships. Interested referees should get approval from their State Referee Committee, and a support letter from their assignor is also recommended.
League games
THE EXPERIENCE
National League games take place in varying formats — from large events to small events to one-off games. Many games are very competitive, with teams competing to earn advancement to The National League Cup. Most games utilize three-person referee crews, primarily filled by referees from the states within each conference’s geographic area.
MIDWEST REGION REFEREE ACADEMY
The Midwest Region Referee Academy provides young officials in the region with additional coaching and learning opportunities. The program takes advantage of Great Lakes Conference and Midwest Conference events to provide an environment for increased and immediate mentoring in highly competitive games. For more information on the Midwest Region Referee Academy, contact Francisco Villarruel (fvillarruel@usyouthsoccer.org).
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Because conference matches are highly competitive, and often involve teams traveling from out-of-state, experienced referees are recommended to officiate at this level. Referees interested in being considered for assignments should have their local assignor, SRA, or SYRA communicate with the league assignors. Please note that a recommendation does not guarantee assignments.
Contact
For questions or additional information on refereeing at specific 2024-2025 National League events, please contact Ryan Cigich (rcigich@usyouthsoccer.org).