New rules to protect soccer referees come into effect in March: Policy includes suspensions and lifetime bans
A host of new rules to protect officials are set to come into effect from March.
US Soccer have released new guidelines that protect referees from “any form of physical or non-physical abuse.” The 17-page document categorises various levels of aggressive behaviour towards officials, and threatens punishments that range from one game suspensions to lifetime bans.
The policy, called the U.S. Soccer Referee Abuse Prevention Policy (RAP), includes al is a significant increase on punishment against referee abuse, with stronger sanctions ready to be handed out. U.S. Soccer says they “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.”
U.S. Soccer statement:
Join U.S. Soccer in creating a better future for our game. Our updated Referee Abuse Prevention Policy (Policy 531-9) is designed to make youth and amateur matches more safer, more fun, and more empowering for everyone involved. Referee abuse will not be tolerated. We're asking everyone to do their part by knowing the rules, reporting referee abuse, and embodying behaviors that represent the best of us.
PENALTY OVERVIEW! U.S. Soccer is asking everyone to do their part by knowing the rules, reporting referee abuse, and embodying behaviors that represent the best of us. https://t.co/bLDG19xfi8 pic.twitter.com/UkERbv4H96
— Indiana Soccer (@SoccerIndiana) March 8, 2025
New rules set to offer more protection to referees
The report says that the new rules will come into effect on March 1 2025, and will be applicable in both youth and amateur matches across the country.
The guidelines affect players, coaches, parents and spectators, who will all be punished in the same way. Possible offences include verbal taunting, harassment/intimidation, and offensive acts; physical offences include touching, confrontation, and violent contact.
As well as the U.S. Soccer rule changes, IFAB have announced the implementation of a new rule that will see goalkeepers given an 8-second limit to release the ball otherwise a corner will be given to the opposing team.
Breaking: Football’s laws to change next season so that a corner instead of an indirect free-kick will be awarded if goalkeeper holds on to the ball for longer than 8 secs. Referees will have a visual five-second countdown. pic.twitter.com/W6ai37uIWi
— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) March 1, 2025
Pierluigi Collina, the chairman of FIFA’s referees committee, told reporters in Belfast that the new method was “much better than what we’ve been seeing in Serie A and the other big leagues, where goalkeepers can have it for 20 seconds or more.”
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