PRO announces fitness requirements for 2015 season

PRO has established the standards that officials must reach in order to work in the North American soccer competitions during the upcoming 2015 season.

Officials must pass the FIFA Men’s Referee or Assistant Referee test in order to work matches in Major League Soccer.

To operate in the the North American Soccer League, referees must pass the FIFA Men’s Referee test. Assistant Referees must pass the Men’s or Women’s FIFA Assistant Referee test.

For USL PRO and NWSL assignments, center officials and fourths must pass at least the Women’s FIFA Referee test, and ARs must pass the Women’s FIFA Assistant Referee test.

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To officiate in US Open Cup matches involving MLS or NASL teams, the FIFA Men’s Referee or AR test must also be passed. Other Open Cup matches, with no MLS or NASL team involvement, requires officials to complete the FIFA Women’s Referee or Assistant Referee test.

States may request to conduct a higher test to qualify an individual for an assignment level regardless of grade. This test does not qualify for national referee/candidate status.

In cases where the Men’s/Women’s FIFA Referee or Men’s FIFA Assistant Referee test will be given, PRO will need to work with a State to assign a representative to supervise the test. In such cases, associated expenses may result in a nominal expense to the State Association.

All FIFA related tests, must be conducted, not only with an approved PRO representative, but must be conducted using the following:

1. Electronic gates.
2. Audio system to clearly amplify the test audio files
3. A suitable track.

FITNESS STANDARDS 2015

Note (1):  Priority for assignments shall be given to National Referees who have passed the required standard for that level of game.  Due to issues resulting from the location of a game and the required development of an official, select deviations to the requirements may be made.

MLS

Referee – Men’s FIFA Referee
Assistant Referee – Men’s FIFA Assistant Referee
Fourth Official – Men’s FIFA Referee

NASL

Referee Men’s FIFA Referee
Assistant Referee – FIFA Assistant Referee (Men or Women’s) (1)
Fourth Official – Men’s FIFA Referee (1)

USL PRO

Referee – Women’s FIFA Referee
Assistant Referee – FIFA Assistant Referee (Men or Women’s) (1)
Fourth Official – FIFA Referee (Men or Women’s) (1)

NWSL

Referee – Women’s FIFA Referee
Assistant Referee – FIFA Assistant Referee (Men or Women’s) (1)
Fourth Official – FIFA Referee (Men or Women’s) (1)

Open Cup (Rounds 4 and beyond, and any with MLS or NASL team involvement)

Referee – Men’s FIFA Referee
Assistant Referee – Men’s FIFA Assistant Referee
Fourth Official – Men’s FIFA Referee

Open Cup (Rounds 1 to 3 – no MLS or NASL team involved)

Referee – Women’s FIFA Referee
Assistant Referee – FIFA Assistant Referee (Men or Women’s) (1)
Fourth Official – Women’s FIFA Referee (1)

International friendly (Club teams – no national team involved)

Referee – Men’s FIFA Referee
Assistant Referee – FIFA Assistant Referee (Men – if Division 1 men’s team involved or Women – for lower divisions or women’s team) (1)
Fourth Official – Men’s FIFA Referee (1)