We’ve all watched sporting events and witnessed the terrible decisions made by the officials. It happens in boxing, basketball, F1, MMA, and none more so than in soccer matches. Although the role of the referee may look easy when watching television, it is one of the most challenging roles in soccer.
The referees are often blamed by fans and subject to extreme pressure to make the right call. But, if you’re brave enough and have the leadership qualities, then you can enter the world of officiating soccer matches.
There are many levels of officiating, from lower league matches to the biggest football games in the world, such as the Premier League, Major League Soccer, or even international soccer tournaments. These levels are where sports betting mostly take place. People will be making bets with real money or finding a good deal on a matching bonus offer or a no deposit bonus. Let’s look in detail next at how you can become a soccer referee.
To become a soccer referee or assistant referee, you must complete the right courses to gain the required qualifications. Each soccer organization requires different certifications, so it depends on which governing body runs the soccer matches where you want to apply to become a referee.
You will need a qualification regardless of what level you are refereeing at, whether amateur or pro. Unless of course, you are picking up low-level games, kid’s soccer games, or friendly & fun matchups. However, even those games that do not require qualification can still get quite intense. It is best to have a good depth of understanding of the game before stepping into any referee role.
The role of the referee also has a lot of impact on the sports betting companies and bet makers. The bets placed on long shot sports betting odds can happen in an instant with the call you make on the field, whether a good call or a bad one. You will see reviews of your top-level games and it will happen in real-time as people love to interact on mobile sports betting sites. Things get very serious with real money betting but that shouldn’t be your focus as a referee, as you only work on yourself and focus on the game in front of you.
How do you Become a Referee in the MLS?
In the United States, you will need to complete certification from the US Soccer Federation (USSF) to become a referee in Major League Soccer (MLS). The MLS is the men’s professional soccer league, which is top-level for the men’s sport in the United States. To get to a level where you officiate games in the MLS, you need to get to a level where you are given the opportunity to officiate state tournaments. You get there by progressing through the ranks by having good performances, then US Soccer representatives will nominate top referees to officiate bigger and more important competitions.
Once you are at the state tournaments, the high powers will be taking notice and the best referees are put forward for regional championships and high-level amateur games.
The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) is the governing body responsible for overseeing and managing the referees for the professional soccer leagues in the US and Canada.