Referee Procedures for Regular Season Competition

• U13-U18/U19 – Size 5 (provided by the home team)
• U9-U12 – Size 4 (provided by the home team)
  • COVID Protocol: The home team should sanitize the match balls before and after each match.

1. U8, U9 & U10: 25 minute halves 
2. U11, U12: 30 minute halves 
3. U13: 35 minute halves 
4. U14, U15 & U16: 40 minute halves 
5. U17 & U18/U19: 45 minute halves 
6. Referees should provide appropriate stoppage time in every game.

• Each player, coach and staff on the bench should have an US Club passcard.
• The FCL allows up to three (3) U15 Trapped Players to participate in U14 FCL NPL Competition ONLY during their sanctioned high school season. Please reference Rule 2.7 for more information.
• ECNL-RL and NPL – U13-U18/U19: FIFA, seven (7) per half.  Players may not re-enter in the same half.
• Fl Premier Leagues: U15-U18/19: FIFA, seven (7) per half.  Players may not re-enter in the same half. U8-U14: unlimited substitutions. 

COVID Protocol:

• Referees must check in players prior to the match, with the coach showing the passes to the referee for check in. The referee should not handle the player or staff passes at any time pre-, during, or post-game.
• Substitution records should be recorded by each referee in their book according to FCL substitution rules.  Referees should not collect passcards for substitutions.

Below is a template of the FCL passcard (the only passcard acceptable for FCL competition):

• The home team should provide an FCL Match Report to the referee.  Only eighteen (18) players are eligible for the match. These 18 must be indicated on the Match Report. Age-appropriate players that are not pre-printed on the roster may not be hand-written on the roster without written notification by FCL.
• At the conclusion of the game, after the match report has been completed and signed by the referee, the referee should give the game report back to the home team. The home team is responsible for uploading the match report and reporting the score in GotSport and/or TGS.

Standard Policy

Home Team: light shirt, light socks, any short | Away Team: dark shirt, dark socks, any shorts

Two Game / Travel Weekend

Game #1 (Saturday) – Home Team: light shirt, light socks, any short | Away: dark shirt, dark socks, any shorts

Game #2(Sunday) – Home Team: dark shirt, dark socks, any short | Away: light shirt, light socks, any shorts

In event of a conflict the AWAY team will be required to change

Referees should arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to scheduled kick off time.

Game fees should be paid to referees no later than immediately after the game.  The home team is responsible for payment:

• U17 & U18/U19 Fees:  $75 to referee and $50 to each assistant referee.
• U14, U15, & U16: $65 to referee and $40 to each assistant referee.
• U13: $60 to referee and $40 to each assistant referee.
• U11 & U12: $50 to center referee and $25 to each assistant referee.
• U8, U9 & U10: $50 to center referee.

More information is available on Referee Pay Structure page.

The referee reports all red cards with corresponding documentation immediately following the game to [email protected]. The referee assignor should also be included. The report should include age group, teams, player(s) sent off, the offense, and referee’s name, email and phone number.  Referees should not keep player passes for players that are sent off, they should be returned to the coach or team manager. Please use this supplemental referee report and submit it with the above information to the FCL.

• Each referee should bring their own equipment (flags, uniforms, etc.). Please do not share equipment.
• Hydration Breaks: Should your match have a hydration break due to temperature index, players may leave the field to collect their personal water bottle for hydration. Substitutes/Coaches should not share or handoff water bottles.
  • Referees should bring their own hydration. There will be no water coolers with water or sport srinks on the sidelines.
• All referees should perform a self-temperature check prior to leaving for the match.
  • If a referee has a temperature over 100 degrees, they should not referee the match
  • If a referee feels sick or has any symptoms of COVID-19, they should not referee the match
  • If a referee has had close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, the referee should not referee the match
• There should be no international walkouts. Players, staff, and referees should maintain social distancing on the bench or whenever not participating in the game.
• If a referee has contact with someone who has COVID-19, they should report that to their local referee assignor.