In less than a month, U.S. Soccer is set to enforce an updated referee abuse policy. Impacts range from two-game suspensions to lifetime bans, depending on the above-pictured punishment matrix. The updated Referee Abuse Prevention Policy (“531-9: Misconduct Toward Game Officials in Amateur Matches”) will go into effect in March of 2025. Per its official website on the policy, U.S. Soccer included the following among its update: “We encourage every player and coach to learn what behaviors cross the line, so they can avoid penalties and help create a better culture for the future of soccer.” Alongside global trends such as the FA expanding its referee body cam trial, U.S. Soccer’s updated policy appears set to further deter aggression toward referees amid a long-standing youth sports official shortage.
Officiating Trends Amid a Climate of Controversy: Social Media, Negative News Consumption and Sports Betting
Intertwined with the impact of social media and the ubiquity of sports betting today lies the reality that aggression toward youth sports referees may in fact be initially ignited by what the public consumes. As in media surrounding the highest levels of sport, negativity has entrenched itself as a prevalent force in American media. A 2023 study of over 100,000 news headlines found that negative words in headlines increase consumption rates. However, even negativity born in humor can generate ripples in how it is consumed and reimagined.
Years ago, a Budweiser ad featured an NFL official being berated by a coach, and then by his wife. The normalization of blaming professional officials of course persists as a core part of being a professional sports fan. However, this time-honored tradition has arguably mutated from critique and humor to a much darker place, where fans even invoke actual corruption in professional sports officiating. The wake of the Kansas City Chiefs’ AFC Championship win over the Bills, for example, was rife with controversy and accusations of referee corruption ranging from silly to serious. In keeping with select approaches to being credentialed at Super Bowl Media Day, a reporter actually asked Patrick Mahomes last week who his favorite referee was ahead of today’s game. Obviously, the impact and undercurrents of our media climate can prove much more severe. After giving a controversial red card to Arsenal recently, referee Michael Oliver and his family have actually received threats leading to a police investigation:
Practitioner Perspectives: What Select Referee and Social Media Studies Say
From a practitioner standpoint, NBA referee trainer Ron Foxcroft essentially opined that social media abuse has been a generational game-changer in officiating. Officials are hardly alone there, as sports betting has had a resounding impact in the comments section for athletes as well. In the fall of 2024, ESPN reported on an NCAA-sponsored study that found 12% of all public-facing abuse directed at NCAA athletes was posted specifically by sports bettors. The study, which used artificial intelligence to detect and gather abusive posts directed at athletes, also found that sports bettors comprise 45% of public-facing, online abuse at college athletic tournaments defined as “major” tournaments, such as March Madness.
As reported by the North American Sport Officials Association (“NASO”), which represents over 35,000 officials, 66% of referees don’t even make it to year four of their tenure. An overarching crisis has become statistically undeniable in recent years. Indeed, youth referee shortages have grown so severe, they’ve consistently attracted the attention of academic researchers. In “For the Good of the Game: What Keeps Soccer Referees from Renewing Their Licenses,” Dr. J Ross Pruitt surveyed current and former soccer referees in Tennessee. Thanks to record-keeping shared by the Tennessee Soccer Referee Program alongside the willingness of former referees to be candid with researchers, Dr. Pruitt was able to specifically identify and question referees who’d chosen not to recertify. The researchers wrote that a “lack of respect” was found to be a primary factor in adult-aged referees’ decision not to continue in the role. The European Journal of Sport Science has closely examined the mental tolls on referees as well, finding that measures such as mentoring could help reduce attrition after a stated desire to leave officiating. U.S. Soccer’s updated policy may actually find itself addressing the ongoing shortage first and foremost from its public show of solidarity. This culture could engender additional conversation and mentoring opportunities in a reimagined, strengthened referee community.
Policy Review: Strengthened Sanctions and Tiered Infraction Language
While attention surrounding referee abuse sanctions may typically tend toward physical infractions potentially leading to lifetime bans, clubs, parents and coaches may do well to take note of the arguably all-encompassing nature of the non-physical sanction language set to take effect. Among other infractions, a category defined as “Insulting, Belittling, Insinuating or Taunting Behavior Undermining Referee Authority” can lead to a minimum 2-game suspension. Next up on the ladder of non-physical infractions is a category titled, “Harassment, Intimidation, Retaliation, Abusive, or Threatening (Non-Physical) Language,” which can garner a minimum four-game ban.
In defining actions included in the top tier of non-physical offenses, the policy specifically calls out language from the FIFA Code of Ethics in defining an “Offensive or Discriminatory Act” as one that would, quote, “Offend the dignity or integrity of a referee through widely recognized contemptuous, discriminatory or derogatory words or actions on account of race, skin color, ethnicity, nationality, social origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, language, or religion.” In the updated policy, punishment for an Offensive or Discriminatory Act carries a ten-game minimum, with a potential time maximum of 24 months. Physical infractions tend to carry arguably stiffer penalties as the tiers of sanctions increase. However, the commitment to real consequences for non-physical penalties can be heard loud and clear.
Analysis: Potential Impact and Need for Awareness of Unique State Penalties
U.S. Soccer’s updated policy offers a strong rebuke of referee abuse in an environment where the stakes are high for all involved. Given the web of varying law interacting with potential game situation, soccer practitioners traveling to out-of-state tournaments may do well to familiarize themselves with regional and national law on official abuse-and local law generally-in addition to U.S. Soccer’s policy. As with the case of Michael Oliver, behaviors common among referee abuse can potentially be criminal acts in and of themselves alongside any soccer policy in play. The updated policy’s growing national profile may well raise awareness of these types of incidents for those who investigate and decide whether to prosecute criminal misconduct. While criminal law encompasses these types of situations in a wider context, 20+ states have enacted specific legislation carrying bans, fines and/or criminalizing sports official abuse in addition, arguably making it easier to target, and certainly more high-profile culturally. Though youth sports referee shortages have intensified in recent years, commitment to the cause from politicians has long been the case. Back in 2006, for example, a Connecticut-based report cited 18 states as already having criminal referee assault law in place. With that said, please note that the aforementioned link was cited for historical perspective only, and be mindful that the laws listed in that report are dated to 2006 and may not be the current laws of the featured jurisdictions. One reliable resource tracking the prevalence of sports official-oriented legislation comes from the National Association of Sports Officials (“NASO”) charts out which states have laws in place on referee assault or harassment. Several states are also listed by NASO as having introduced potential legislation. From there, we recommend doing live research, as laws and policies continually evolve, and the stakes are much too high to rely on a dated post.
As/of this post’s publication date, NASO’s Legislation Tracker shows Massachusetts as having potential sports official legislation forthcoming on four fronts. New Hampshire, on the other hand, has already enacted a referee protection-oriented law. New Hampshire Senate Bill 327, which just went into effect on January 1st, can be viewed here. As reported in the Concord Monitor, Bill 327 at present imposes a $1,000 fine and up to a 12-month ban from all athletic contests in the state-even on a first offense. Lifetime bans after subsequent offenses are also possible under the recently-enacted law.
Locally, the New Hampshire Soccer Association recently shared U.S. Soccer’s referee abuse policy video on social media in advance of the March 2025 effective date. The NH State Referee Committee has posted about new policy as well, showcasing a united front here at home. Meanwhile-and on a positive note- referee body cams are already generating valuable match footage globally:
