How many referees are on a football pitch?

A standard professional match has the centre referee on the pitch, plus two assistant referees along opposite touchlines — so 3 officials on the field. A fourth official works between the benches. In matches with VAR, there are typically 4 additional officials in the video room (VAR, AVAR1, AVAR2, and a replay operator), bringing the total crew to 7-8 officials.

What is the diagonal system of control?

The diagonal system is the standard positioning method where the referee moves along an imaginary diagonal across the pitch (corner to corner), while the two assistant referees cover the opposite halves of each touchline. This ensures that at least one official has a clear view of play from a good angle at all times.

Can VAR overturn any decision?

No. VAR can only review four categories: goals and their build-up, penalty decisions, direct red card incidents, and mistaken identity. The error must also be 'clear and obvious' — marginal or subjective 50/50 calls are left to the on-field referee. VAR cannot review yellow cards, throw-in decisions, or general free kicks.

How old do you have to be to become a football referee?

Most national associations allow referee certification from age 14-16. In England (The FA), you can start at 14. In the United States (US Soccer), the minimum age is 13. Contact your national football association for the specific requirements in your country. No prior playing experience is needed.

What is the difference between a direct and indirect free kick?

A direct free kick allows the kicker to score a goal directly without the ball touching another player. An indirect free kick requires the ball to be touched by another player before a goal can be scored. The referee signals an indirect free kick by raising one arm straight above the head. Indirect free kicks are awarded for offside, dangerous play, and obstruction, among other infractions.

How to Referee Football

Match Officials, Positioning, Signals, Cards, VAR & the Path to Certification

Last updated: March 1, 2026

A football match is officiated by a team of officials: the main referee (centre referee), two assistant referees (linesmen), a fourth official, and in top competitions, a VAR team. The referee controls the game using a whistle, hand signals, and yellow/red cards, while positioning themselves using the diagonal system of control to maintain the best possible view of play.

See it in action

Match Officials and Their Roles

A professional football match requires a team of officials working together. Here is each role:

Centre Referee (Main Referee) The sole authority on the pitch. The centre referee:

Starts and stops play with a whistle.
Awards free kicks, penalties, goal kicks, corners, and throw-ins.
Shows yellow and red cards.
Adds stoppage time and decides when each half ends.
Has the final decision on all matters of fact during the match (even overruling assistants).

Assistant Referees (AR1 and AR2) Two officials positioned along opposite touchlines, each covering one half of the pitch. They:

Signal offside by raising their flag.
Indicate which team is awarded a throw-in, goal kick, or corner kick when the ball goes out near their touchline.
Alert the referee to fouls or incidents the referee may not have seen.
Assist with penalty area decisions (handball, fouls inside the box).

Fourth Official Positioned between the two team benches. Responsibilities:

Manages substitutions (holds the electronic substitution board).
Displays stoppage time at the end of each half.
Monitors the behaviour of coaches and bench personnel.
Acts as a replacement if the referee or an assistant is injured.

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) A team of officials in a video operations room (not on the pitch). Used in top leagues and tournaments since 2018. The VAR team:

Reviews four categories of decisions: goals, penalty decisions, direct red cards, and mistaken identity.
Communicates with the referee via headset.
Can recommend an on-field review (the referee watches the incident on a pitchside monitor).

Additional Assistant Referees (AAR) In some competitions (notably the UEFA Champions League before VAR), two additional officials stand behind each goal line to help judge goal-line incidents and penalty area fouls. These have largely been replaced by VAR.

Referee Positioning: The Diagonal System of Control

The referee and assistants use the diagonal system of control — a coordinated positioning strategy that ensures at least one official has a clear view of play at all times.

How it works: Imagine a diagonal line drawn from one corner flag to the opposite corner flag. The referee generally moves along this diagonal, positioning themselves to the side of play. The two assistant referees patrol the opposite halves of each touchline, covering the areas the referee cannot easily see.

Referee's diagonal:

The most common diagonal runs from the bottom-left corner to the top-right corner (as viewed from above). This means the referee tends to be in the left half of the pitch when play is in one direction, and the right half when play moves the other way.
The referee adjusts position constantly, staying 10-15 metres from the ball when possible, and slightly to the side rather than directly behind the play.

Assistant referee positioning:

Each AR patrols one half of the touchline (from the halfway line to the goal line on their side).
The AR must stay in line with the second-to-last defender (or the ball, whichever is closer to the goal line) to judge offside decisions accurately.
When the ball is at the far end of the pitch, the AR moves toward the halfway line.

Why this matters: The diagonal system ensures that fouls, offside situations, and goal-line incidents are covered from multiple angles. The referee sees what the nearest assistant cannot, and vice versa. Proper positioning is considered the single most important skill for a referee — being in the right place at the right time allows correct decisions.

Key Referee Hand Signals

Football referees communicate decisions to players, coaches, and spectators through standardised hand and arm signals:

Direct free kick: The referee blows the whistle and raises one arm, pointing in the direction of play for the team awarded the free kick (the direction the attacking team is heading).

Indirect free kick: The referee raises one arm straight above the head and keeps it raised until the ball is played by another player (a goal cannot be scored directly from an indirect free kick). This is used for offside, dangerous play, obstruction, and goalkeeper infractions.

Penalty kick: The referee blows the whistle and points directly at the penalty spot with one arm extended horizontally.

Goal kick: The referee points toward the goal area (the small box near the goal) on the defending team's side.

Corner kick: The referee points toward the corner flag on the attacking team's side.

Advantage: When a foul occurs but the fouled team would benefit from play continuing, the referee sweeps both arms forward and upward in a flowing motion while shouting "Advantage! Play on!" — allowing play to continue. If the advantage does not materialise within a few seconds, the referee can still stop play and award the free kick.

Offside (assistant referee): The assistant referee raises their flag vertically. Once acknowledged by the referee, the AR indicates where the offside occurred:

Flag extended horizontally toward the far side of the pitch = offside on the far side.
Flag extended horizontally at a 45-degree angle upward = offside in the centre.
Flag extended horizontally toward the near side (downward) = offside on the near side.

Substitution: The fourth official holds up an electronic board showing the shirt number of the player coming off (in red) and the player coming on (in green).

When to Show Yellow and Red Cards

Yellow card — cautionable offences:

The Laws of the Game specify seven reasons for a yellow card:

Unsporting behaviour — simulation (diving), deliberate handball to stop a promising attack, reckless challenge, pulling a shirt.
Dissent — arguing with the referee verbally or through body language.
Persistent infringement — repeatedly fouling opponents (even if each individual foul is minor).
Delaying the restart of play — standing in front of a free kick, holding the ball, kicking the ball away after the whistle.
Not respecting the required distance — encroaching on a free kick or corner before the ball is in play.
Entering or leaving the field without permission — a player returning from treatment without the referee's signal.
Excessive goal celebration — removing the shirt, climbing into the crowd, wearing a political message.

Red card — sending-off offences:

Serious foul play — a tackle or challenge that uses excessive force and endangers the opponent's safety.
Violent conduct — striking, spitting at, or biting an opponent (or anyone else) when the ball is not in play.
Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) — a foul that prevents a clear chance on goal (e.g., a defender pulling back an attacker who is through on goal). Note: inside the penalty area, a DOGSO foul is punished with a penalty AND a yellow card (not red) if the referee considers it a genuine attempt to play the ball.
Denying a goal by handball — deliberately handling the ball on the goal line to prevent a goal.
Offensive, insulting, or abusive language/gestures.
Receiving a second yellow card — the referee shows the second yellow, then immediately shows the red.

Double yellow protocol: When showing a second yellow card, the referee first shows the yellow card, pauses briefly, then shows the red card. This sequence makes it clear to all that the red card is a consequence of accumulation, not a direct red.

How VAR Works

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was introduced to correct clear and obvious errors in four specific categories of match-changing decisions.

The four reviewable decision categories:

Goals — Was there an offside, foul, handball, or the ball going out of play in the build-up to the goal?
Penalty decisions — Should a penalty have been awarded, or was a penalty incorrectly given?
Direct red card incidents — Was a red card missed for violent conduct, serious foul play, or DOGSO? Was a red card incorrectly shown?
Mistaken identity — Did the referee show a card to the wrong player?

How the process works:

An incident occurs. The VAR team automatically reviews it in the video room (the on-field referee does not need to request a review).
If the VAR finds a clear and obvious error, they communicate with the referee via headset.
The referee has three options:
- Accept the VAR recommendation and change the decision without reviewing footage.
- Go to the on-field review (OFR) — walk to the pitchside monitor and watch the incident themselves before deciding.
- Overrule the VAR and keep the original decision.
The referee signals a VAR review by drawing a rectangle in the air with both index fingers (representing a TV screen).

The "clear and obvious" standard: VAR does not intervene for every marginal call. The error must be clear and obvious — meaning that most referees viewing the footage would agree the original decision was incorrect. Subjective 50/50 calls are typically left to the on-field referee's original decision.

Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT): Introduced at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, SAOT uses multiple cameras tracking player limb positions to calculate offside lines automatically. The system generates a 3D animation showing the exact moment of the pass and the player positions, significantly speeding up offside reviews.

How to Become a Football Referee

Football refereeing follows a structured pathway from local grassroots to international FIFA appointments.

Step 1: Entry-level course Contact your national football association (e.g., The FA in England, US Soccer in the USA, PZPN in Poland). Most associations offer a basic referee course lasting 1-3 days, covering:

Laws of the Game
Practical positioning and signals
Match management and communication
Fitness requirements

Minimum age is typically 14-16 years depending on the country. No prior experience is required.

Step 2: Local/grassroots matches After certification, new referees are assigned to youth, amateur, and recreational matches. This phase builds experience with match situations, player management, and fitness. Mentoring and observation by experienced referees is common.

Step 3: Regional and national leagues Performance-based promotion moves referees through regional leagues to national-level competitions. Assessors attend matches and rate referees on:

Accuracy of decisions
Positioning and fitness
Match control and personality
Application of the Laws

Step 4: Professional leagues Top referees in each country are selected for the professional league referee panel. This requires:

Passing the FIFA fitness test (interval sprints, high-intensity running).
Consistent high assessment scores.
Attendance at training camps and workshops.

Step 5: FIFA badge The highest domestic referees may be nominated by their national association for the FIFA International Referees List. FIFA referees officiate international matches, continental club competitions (e.g., Champions League), and major tournaments (World Cup, Euros).

Fitness requirements (FIFA):

Interval test: 6 x 40m sprints in under 6.0 seconds each (with 90 seconds recovery).
Endurance test: Repeated high-intensity running intervals (varies by specific test protocol).
Referees must maintain peak fitness throughout the season.

Time commitment: Reaching the top level typically takes 8-15 years of consistent officiating and development. Most FIFA referees are between 35 and 45 years old.

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