Website Manager

American Youth Soccer Organization Providing world class youth soccer programs that enrich children's lives.

Referees

Why Referee?

Referees are part of the AYSO volunteer team and help keep the games safe, fair and fun. Refereeing can be a rewarding experience that gives volunteers a new appreciation for the rules and the game of soccer.

How to become a referee

As with all AYSO Region 18 roles, our referees are all volunteers and are prohibited from taking payment for their services. Please be kind to and respectful of all referees. They are fellow parents and friends from our community, donating their valuable free time to the league to help provide high-quality, low-cost soccer for all of our kids. Please thank them for donating their weekends for our kids.

To become a referee:

  • Enroll as a volunteer for the current season with AYSO Region 18: Volunteer Instructions
  • Pass a background check
  • Complete AYSO and Federal/State volunteer requirements as required by the certification level (e.g. Safe Haven, Concussion Awareness, SafeSport, LiveScan fingerprinting)
  • Complete the referee training requirements and pass the exam for the certification level
  • Receive referee uniform and equipment
  • Create an account in the Referee Scheduling System

Upcoming referee training classes are listed on this page.

AYSO referee training requirements by level and division

Training requirements vary by the level of referee certification you're seeking. Anyone may take the training and exams for 8-U Official or Regional Referee, but Intermediate or higher certifications require completion of the lower level qualifications and a certain level of experience.

8U Official Regional Ref Intermediate Ref Advanced Ref National
Can referee at 7/8U 10U and below 12U and below 14U and below 19U and below
Can assistant referee at N/A Any division Any division Any division Any division
Pre-requisite badge None None Regional Intermediate Advanced
Background check
Safe Haven
CDC Concussion
Sudden Cardiac Arest
Referee course and exam for the level
Required Required Required Required Required
LiveScan Fingerprinting (state mandate)
SafeSport (federal mandate)
N/A Recommended Required Required Required

Referee uniform and equipment requests

If you're a new or returning referee and need equipment, please fill out our online form. Equipment requests are typically fulfilled quickly, but please allow 3-5 days lead time in case items need to be retrieved from storage.

Laws of the game and division-specific adjustments

Region 18 follows the IFAB Laws of the Game with age-appropriate modifications to support development and competitive play. See more information about division-specific adjustments on a dedicated page.

For additional questions, please reach out to [email protected]

Referee Scheduling System

RSS is used to sign up for games, receive referee points credit, and request mentors. To access the Referee Scheduling System (RSS), navigate to https://www.cgisports.com/ref/5504/.

Some helpful resources for working with RSS:

Additional resources for referees

AYSO Resources

Resources from Soccer Governing Bodies

National Partners

Contact Us

AYSO Region 18

P.O. Box 3597 
Manhattan Beach, California 90266

Email Us: [email protected]
Copyright © 2024 Region 18  |  Privacy Statement |  Terms Of Use |  License Agreement |  Children's Privacy Policy  Login