Referee Duties

Lead Referee Duties

Prior to Tournament Date and Arrival at site:

  • Once you have received notification from the Competition Assignor that you have been assigned as Lead Referee at a playing site, reply to the email to confirm assignment, and view your assignment.
  • You will be notified of whom is assigned as your crew members.
  • Contact your work crew by either emailing or texting them to confirm their acceptance of assignment. If needed, contact your Team Leader for officials contact info as they have access to current Officials’ rosters. This will help prevent “No Shows” on the tournament day.
  • Print off or make sure you have the following forms with you: The North American Futsal Federation Host Sanctioned Event Form (typically the site Director will have this form for you to fill out), Official’s Pay Sheet & Report Form, Match Comment Forms, copy of two-game score sheet with single set (deciding game when not switching sides) score sheet on the back, line up sheets and tracking sheets
  • Check the Ground Rules page, to become familiar with the rules for your specific gym, if there are any.
  • NOTE: Be aware that your site may be involved in Rating of league referee. This means you may be called upon to observe and evaluate new or probationary officials, as well as officials applying for certification advancement. You can download “Observation Forms” from the Referees Handbook page of our web site
  • REMINDER: A Lead Referee Facilitator is only allowed at facilities with 6 courts or in the event there are not enough referees to cover all the courts. This will be designated by the Assignor.

Arrive no later than 45 minutes prior to First Scheduled Match to accomplish the following:

  • Introduce yourself to the Site Director
  • Complete the site inspection for safety and correct set up.
  • Complete the Host Form check off
  • Sign off on form and give to the Site Director
  • Confirm with the Site Director the established Association protocol to handle Spectator/Parent misconduct and enforcing the Penalty Point Sanction policy.
  • Establish the ground rules if the site is not on the Ground Rules document for each court with the Site Director, then email new ground rules to rosariolopez.6040@gmail.com
  • Inform the referees that any sub-standard, incorrect or incomplete match score sheets will be returned to them for correction. Also, consistent failure to submit proper score sheets will result in remedial action and rating evaluation.

Regularly scheduled officials should arrive no later than 45 minutes before match time in proper attire.

  • Meet with your referee crew.
  • Cover the following: Ground rules, warm up protocols, team schedules and referee rotations, new or age level specific rule reminders, remind referees to report any problems or cards given on their court – include jersey numbers and coaches names of anyone involved in the report – the site director will have the verified rosters for reference if needed, check the team benches for coaches and parents that don’t belong on the bench – only coaches on the roster and certified are allowed on the bench or in the bench area.
  • If any referee encounters a non-compliant uniform issue have then contact, you as the Lead referee immediately. Use the referee handbook to determine the legality of the jersey before making your decision. Remember that the current interpretation to be used at this time is CONTRASTING. 
  • Review chain of communication
  • Review check out procedure. Each referee is to initial the Referee’s Report form for matches/games worked and the driver of the carpool, if appropriate.
  • If there is a no show – first attempt should be to contact the official before contacting or Rosario Lopez (623.341.4583).

Attend the Coaches and Parent Meeting with Site Director and discuss the following Topics to Cover:

  • Per the North American Futsal Federation policy ALL coaches assigned to play must be present at the Coach’s Meeting and receive their play schedule. Coach attendance is mandatory to receive their Team Referee schedule, otherwise they will be sanctioned up to Eight (3) points for missing the meeting. This applies to both the AM and PM waves.
  • Ground rules for the facility
  • Late Teams for play or referee assignments – Penalized one (1) point per minute
  • New or age level specific rule reminders
  • Remind coaches that they are primarily responsible for Team, Spectator and Parent conduct.
  • Review the Purple Card Sanction Policy
  • Explain the Electronics and Deficient Scoring Teams policies and procedures.
  • Review New Rules:
    • Team Captain must start the match
    • If a coach requests the team captain be re-designated, this will be permitted, and the team captain retains all leadership privileges.
    • The player’s jersey must be numbered in a permanent manner from 1 to 99 using Arabic numerals. Duplicate numbers are not allowed.
    • Protest must be lodged within 60 seconds of the end of each match or within 60 seconds after the match is called. Even if the referee calls the match prematurely due to a conflict, physical or otherwise.
    • The captain does not sign the score sheet after the match. It is no longer required that each coach sign the score sheet after the match to verify the results.
    • All teams will go to the end line to start their match. The first referee will whistle the teams onto the court to the to wave/acknowledge their opponent.
    • Teams will not switch sides unless there is a distinct advantage to one side over the other on the court.  That determination is to be made by the Site Director prior to the first match of the day.
    • If a referee, media equipment or personnel or spectator interferes with a player’s legal attempt to play the ball outside the playing area, a play over shall be directed.
    • For tournament play where a court change is necessitated, the match will be continued from the point of the interruption.
    • A completed rally is the sequence of playing actions, which results in the award of a point. This includes the award of a penalty and loss of service for serving faults outside the time limit. A team is entitled to two timeouts, and unlimited substitutions.
    • Warm up Protocol: 5-4-4 for teams not having played (either team), then 2-4-4. Off “warm up” team cannot be around the court/playing area at all. Stretching at or behind the bench is OK.
    • Review Electronics policy for officiating teams.

Conduct Team Rep/Parent Meeting:

  • Remind the Team Reps and Parents that parents are not allowed to approach the score table or any of the referee crew. It is the coach’s responsibility to educate the parents to the court protocol and keep their parents under control. This action also prohibits delivering water or food to the players at the score table.
  • Inform parents about the two conduct policies: Spectator/Parent Code of Conduct and the Purple Card Sanction Policy. All ejections from the playing facility will be decided by the Site Director and the Lead Referee. This must be reported on the Official’s Report Form and the completion of a Match Comment Form.

Schedule, Record, and Report:

  • Timely arrival of Assigned Referee!
  • Number of matches worked. (if applicable)
  • Compare the total number of matches for the site in each category on the Report Form. *
  • Each tournament has a specific number of matches (unless re-formatted because of “No Shows”) and the total number of the matches worked cannot exceed the scheduled match count. Any discrepancy should be noted on the Referee’s Report Form as to the number and why.
  • No Second Referee assignments are to be given until the Championships – unless a referee wants to practice their R2 work but no pay will be given and the R2 assignment will not be noted on the Referee’s Report Form.
  • Officiating issues (rules, mechanics, etc.) for discussion!
  • Complete Referee’s Report Form. The Report form can either be given to Site Director for submission to Arizona Futsal Association emailed to rosariolopez.6040@gmail.com by noon the following Monday.
  • Keep copy of matches all referees worked in the event of a loss of form

*Reminder, R2 matches are not paid unless it is the Gold Division Final at the Region Championships or the National Club Qualifier.