Being a soccer referee is one of the most challenging jobs in sports. You, as a ref, are responsible for every decision that gets made in a soccer game. These decisions determine the outcomes of the match. If you are a referee in a professional League, your choices can determine the result of the league, so it is imperative that you do your job correctly. But what is the role of a soccer referee?
The main job of a soccer referee is first to check that all the equipment is up to standard, all the teams are ready, and all the players are eligible to play. Then, on the field, the referee will enforce all the game laws and watch for player safety. A referee will have two assistant referees and a 4th official.
If you are thinking about becoming a referee or have just taken an interest in what they do, then you have come to the right article. We plan on going in-depth and explaining all the roles of a referee from pre-game to post-game. We will also discuss the assistant referees and the fourth official. As a bit of a bonus, we will discuss VAR, so for everything you need to know, keep reading.
How Many Referees Does a Soccer Game Have?
The amount of referee a soccer game has depends on what level the game is being played at. However, that is only true up until semi-professional games. So, let’s take a look and how many officials a soccer match will have for non-professional and professional leagues.
There will be one match referee and two assistant referees in amateur soccer such as Sunday league, youth, and school soccer. Each club will provide one assistant referee, so each club in the match can have one assistant referee. Doing this helps keeps the game balanced and in check.
In semi-professional to professional soccer leagues, you will have a total of four referees. You have the match referee, two assistant referees, and a fourth official. Having four referees means that every aspect of the game gets seen, and the margin for error becomes extremely small.
What Is a Soccer Referees Salary?
There are so many different levels to soccer, and there are hundreds of other leagues. So, to say how much a referee gets paid will be highly technical, but we can give you our best answer to this question.
In non-professional soccer matches, a referee can be paid between $25 to $50 per match. This amount may not seem like a lot but remember, in these non-professional leagues, a referee could manage two or three games in a day. This is especially true during school events.
For the most prestigious tournaments globally, the FIFA World cup, referees are paid between $35,000 to $50,000 for the tournament, which takes place over two months. On top of that, they get paid between $500 and $1000 per game. That may seem like quite a significant amount of money but remember, only the top referees in the world get chosen for this tournament.
Below is a table representing how much soccer referees get paid in each of the top domestic leagues. Of course, these figures could be different, but they are accurate when writing this article.
| Professional League Soccer Referee Salary | |
| MLS | Approx. $55k per year |
| Premier League | $1800 + Per Game Plus a retainer of $35k to 45k PA |
| La Liga | $6300 + Per Game |
| Bundesliga | $3800 + Per Game |
| Ligue 1 | $2900 + Per Game |
| Serie A | $3600 + Per Game |
| Eufa Champions League | $850 to $6700 Per Game |
The Main Roles of a Soccer Referee during the game
Here is a list of things that a referee will do while the match is being played:
- Enforce the rules of the game.
- Make sure players are safe.
- Keep time, enforce extra time and keep score.
Now, let us take a look at these roles in more detail
Enforcing the Rules
A referee is in charge of enforcing the laws of the game. So, players on the field and even in the technical area must conduct themselves according to these rules. If the referee determines that someone has broken one of the game rules, they will decide the suitable punishment, which could be a simple foul to the other team, a red card, or a yellow card to the player who is causing me infringement.
Regardless of which part of the world is being played, soccer will have similar sets of rules. However, they will differ slightly depending on the league, and the referee should be up-to-date with these laws.
Player Safety
They are also in charge of making sure that players stay safe. The ref will often caution the players if they are playing recklessly as this poses a danger not only to the player who is acting reckless but also to the opponents.
If the referee determines that a player cannot carry on, they will enforce a substitution, which could be done for many different reasons. For example, if a player is bleeding and the referee determines that it is too much bleeding, he will ask a player to leave the field.
Head injuries have made the spotlight in recent years, and referees now take it more seriously. They will stop the play when a player touches their head to signal that they’ve bumped it. If there is a suspected concussion, the player’s manager should take them off the field. However, if a referee decides that it has to be done, then the choice is no longer up to the coach.
Keeping Time
The referee is also in charge of keeping the time of the game. The ref does have the fourth official to assist them with this, but the referee decides how much extra time should be added on to every half.
What Does a Soccer Referee do Before the Game
Judging by what soccer referees get paid, especially in the professional leagues, you would think it’s primarily since they work for 90 minutes, right? Well, the referee’s job starts long before the game does.
Before the match starts, with the help of his or her assistant referees, they will conduct all administrative duties. This starts with checking that all the equipment is set up correctly, such as the goalpost, net, and soccer balls.
The referees will also make sure that every player is eligible and each team has submitted all necessary paperwork.
After that, the referee will make sure that all ball boys and girls are illegible and assigned to their positions.
What Do Soccer Referees Do After the Game
Just because the whistle has gone on the 90th minute does not mean that the referee’s job is complete. In fact, the postgame process can take longer than the actual game itself, and it is where referees prepare some paperwork.
After a match, the referee must submit a thorough report of the game. In the information, they need to speak about any incidents that happened and justify their reasons for dealing out specific punishments. For example, if a player got a red card, they need to explain why they got the red card and not yellow.
At the same time, the ref needs to justify why he didn’t take more extensive measures when dealing with fouls and why they felt the need to be lenient on certain players. Of course, a professional ref takes pride in their job, but they still need to show that they are impartial.
Finally, a referee will have to deal with any dispute from any of the team’s management. For example, if one of the teams decides that a referee was unfair, they can launch an appeal with the league’s head. The referee will need to be part of the appeal.
What is the Role of a Soccer Referees Assistant
As we have discussed, a referee will have two assistants. These assistants will be on the touchlines, and if they want to raise a problem or bring the referee’s attention to something, they will raise their flags. When the referee spots the flag, the ref will blow their whistle. However, the referee will always have the final say, but it is not often that they go against their assistant’s word.
With all of that said, let’s take a look at the role of an assistant referee and then discuss them in more detail.
- Check when the ball has left the field
- Check for offside
- Signal when they spot a foul
Check when the ball has left the field
One of the most important jobs for an assistant referee is determining whether or not the ball has gone out of play. Even with new technologies such as VAR, the assistant referee is responsible for determining if the ball went out for a throw-in, a goal kick, or a corner.
The assistant referee needs to be extra vigilant because his calls can sway the outcome of a game. For example, there are times when the ball may look like it’s gone out for a corner or a throw-in, and their verdict can be the difference between a goal.
Check for Any Offside
Another crucial role for an assistant referee is to check for any offsides. However, with the introduction of VAR, the assistant ref plays less of a role for offside. Their call has become more of a guideline rather than a verdict.
In leagues that do not have VAR, the assistant referee still decides whether or not the player was offside. If the player did drift offside, they would raise their flag, and the referee will blow their whistle.
Signal When They Spot a Foul
An assistant referee will raise their flag to signal when a foul has occurred. Because there are two assistant referees + a match referee, it is tough for a player to get away with a foul because there is almost always a set of eyes on them.
It is important to remember that the assistant referee can make a few suggestions during the game. Hence, if they see a foul and deem it to be a yellow or red card, they can advise the match referee, and a referee will rarely go against what the assistant tells them.
The Main Role of the 4th Official
Finally, we have the primary roles of the fourth official. I know it seems like they need a referee for just about every aspect of the game. Still, it is true, especially when you get to professional leagues where a minor decision can play a significant impact not only on a game but on the entire season.
With that said, let’s take a look at the primary roles of the fourth official:
- Maintain order in the technical area
- Assist with substitutions
- Assist with administrative duties
Maintain Order in the Technical Area
A fourth official will usually communicate with the technical area; what is the technical area, you ask. It is a part of the field where the managers, coaching staff, substitute players, and medical staff are situated. Have you ever heard of a coach or manager getting a yellow card or even sent off? It usually happens when they argue with the fourth official.
Sometimes the technical area can become a mess. Again, it is up to the 4th official to keep order in this area of the field.
If a manager or coach has a problem with a referee’s decision, they will often speak to the 4th official. When you watch a soccer game, try and look out for it. You will see the 4th official and managers communicating quite a lot.
If there are any concerns from either party, the 4th official will bring them up with the referee. They can also make suggestions to the ref.
Assist With Substitutions
Making substitutions seems simple on paper. You simply list who you want to come off and who want to go on, but it isn’t that simple because some teams could use substitutions to take advantage of a situation. That is why there are rules in place.
It is up to the 4th official to assist with these rules and enforce them. They are responsible for the entire substitution procedure.
Assist With Administrative Duties
As we mentioned earlier in the article, a referee’s job does not start when the match begins. It begins long before, and an assistant referee plus the 4th official will always help with their duties. For example, if the referee is making sure that one team is ready, the 4th official will make sure that the other is ready.
What is The Role of VAR?
VAR was first introduced into professional soccer in the MLS. It means that there are now technically more officials to a game. So you have your four officials on the field, and then you have one who sits in a box with a bunch of monitors in front of them.
There are specific calls that a referee could ask for assistance with. For example, a referee will not ask for aid for lineouts or even corners. Instead, they ask for help on fouls, offsides, and goals. However, the VAR system has goal-line technology, which buzzes the referee’s wrist when a ball has crossed the line.
Even with four officials on the field, there are still possibilities for errors, particularly with the offside rule, as everything happens exceptionally quickly. Sometimes the assistant will get it wrong, so for every offside call, a referee will raise their flag, the play will carry on, but a check will be called, and the VAR official will determine whether or not it was offside.
So, you can think of the person who sits in the VAR room as an extra official. This technology is still reasonably new. Not all the leagues use it, but it is becoming more prominent, and soccer is getting played in a way that is a lot fairer because of it.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, we have answered all of your questions. Remember, the ref has a tough job. So, if you are a player, try and be patient. They are also almost always impartial, and it is rare for a ref to favor a team.
