Start Refereeing

IMPORTANT: The US Soccer registration year end on June 30, 2026. A license issued before July 1 will only be valid until December 30, 2026. A license issued after July 1, 2026 will be valid through December 30, 2027. With the Spring season ending soon, prospective new referees are encouraged to wait until July to begin the coursework to earn their license.

Here are the four most important things for a prospective referee to know:

It is simple to register ("certify")
You will be supported on the fields by referee mentors and referee coaches, and through regular training
Financial compensation is generous and paid promptly. Click here for the 2026 game fees paid to referees in Las Cruces.
For young men and women who love soccer, it is a great way to learn life skills such as communication and handling stressful situations. Refereeing experiences are a great topic for college application essays. The minimum age to certify as a referee is 13.

You may also want to consider officiating high school soccer. To learn more about the separate registration process, click here.

Follow these four easy steps to certify as a US Soccer official:

1. Contact Us

The process will go quicky and smoothly with a helping hand from either:

Nigel Holman (New Mexico State Director of Instruction) nigelholman@comcast.net | (520) 788-7298, or
Nick Tallent (LCSRA Assignor) office@LCYSA.org | (970) 903-1661

2. Sign Up

Create (sign up for) a profile at learning.ussoccer.com/ referee.
If you are under 18, you must provide a parent email address when you set up your profile. The parent must respond to an email sent to verify the address.
If you are 18 or older, you must register online for a Background Check Screening (valid for 2 years) and take the online SafeSport Training.

3. Get Certified

Register for the First Time Referee Certification course on the U.S. Soccer Learning Center.
Follow instructions and complete all required assignments.
The online course will take several hours but can be completed over several sessions.

4. Start Refereeing!

Nick Tallent will help you sign-up for the online assigning platform (ArbiterSports) through which you will receive your assignments and pay.
You will receive your US Soccer badge from Tom Duttle, the District Referee Administrator (tomdlcdra@ gmail.com)
Look out for invitations to referee training and mentoring sessions.