Control the Field
Empower Your Passion
Elevate Your Skills with Our Referee Certification Course
About IREF
IREF was founded in 2016 with a mission to educate young referees beginning at the recreational soccer level, providing a more flexible, low-stakes environment for learning. Referees at this level are able to grow their skills and gain confidence before advancing into club soccer matches.
About IREF Certifications
Built for young referees, from first whistle to field-ready
A Low-Stakes Environment to Learn and Grow
IREF certifications are designed for recreational-level soccer, giving new referees the confidence to develop their skills.
Comprehensive, Real-World Training
Our five-module Basics Course covers everything from the laws of the game to foul recognition, game-day preparation, and how to manage players, parents, and coaches on the field.
Earn Your Certification and Get on the Field
Complete the IREF Basics Course and receive your official IREF patch, red and yellow cards, and a certificate — everything you need to start reffing with confidence.
Referee Course Focus Areas
This course addresses common fears and mindsets of players, spectators/parents, coaches, and referees, and gives participants the tools to manage these elements on the field. Participants will also learn about the significance of optics in the context of refereeing, how to avoid becoming a “casual” referee, and to prepare for game day.
Laws of the Game
Knowledge of the laws of the game. Our course focuses mainly on player equipment, functions of a referee, functions of an assistant referee, offside rules, and fouls and misconducts. We also address recreational rules that may or may not apply, based upon the club hosting the match.
Mental Ninja
Dive deeper into the skills addressed in our first course and learn how to apply the “Secret Sauce” of becoming a “Mental Ninja“! This is where the rubber meets the road; the course will focus on practical application of previously learned skills, as well as teach participants about protocols leading up to the match, such as the significance of first impressions, practicing appropriate tolerance, referee communication and positioning, pre-match meetings with other referees, coach meetings and player check-in protocols, and spectator introduction.
You Make the Call
Time to make the call. In this course, participants will be presented with real game footage and use the skills and knowledge they’ve acquired to make referee calls based on what they observe.
Assessment
Wrap it up. Participants will confirm the information they’ve learned in the previous courses and complete their IREF training.
Kick off your referee training today
Master the skills needed to succeed on the field.