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Referee Procedures for Regular Season Competition

Florida Club Leagues (“FCL”) is the state’s top youth soccer leagues, including the following levels of competition for both boys and girls: the ECNL RL, Pre-ECNL , NPL and Local Premier Leagues. As the top competition platform in the state, FCL requires the top referees in the country.

Thank you for accepting the assignment to referee in the FCL.

Below is general information and rules applicable to FCL competition:

Game Ball
  • U12 (11v11)-U18/U19 – Size 5 (provided by the home team)
  • U9-U12 (7v7 & 9v9) – Size 4 (provided by the home team)
  1. U8, U9 & U10: 25 minute halves 
  2. U11, U12: 30 minute halves 
  3. U12 (11v11), U13: 35 minute halves 
  4. U14, U15 & U16: 40 minute halves
  5. National 1 U14 plays 35 minute halves (per N1 Handbook §5.2) 
  6. U17 & U18/U19: 45 minute halves 
  7. Referees should provide appropriate stoppage time in every game.
  • Each player, coach and staff on the bench should have a US Club passcard.
  • The FCL allows up to two (2) U15 Trapped Players to participate in U14 ECNL-RL or National 1 competition during the player’s sanctioned high school soccer season. Please reference FCL Handbook Rule 7.8 for more information.
  • ECNL RL and National 1 – U13–U18/U19: 3 substitution moments per half, per team. Water breaks do not count as a substitution moment. Substituted players may re-enter at any time, provided they were substituted off during a stoppage in play.
  • Pre-ECNL: Unlimited substitutions with unlimited re-entry.
  • Local Premier Leagues: Unlimited substitutions at any stoppage with the referee’s permission.
  • Injury substitutions count as a substitution moment if the team has moments remaining; if not, the injured player may leave the field but no substitute may enter.
  • A player being evaluated for a head injury may be substituted off without using a substitution moment. If cleared, they may re-enter in place of the original substitute.
  • The home team should provide an FCL Match Report to the referee. Only eighteen (18) players (U13–U18/19) or sixteen (16) players (U8–U12) are eligible for the match, and they must be indicated on the Match Report. Age-appropriate players that are not pre-printed on the roster may not be hand-written on the roster without written notification by FCL.
  • At the conclusion of the game, after the match report has been completed and signed by the referee, the referee should Record the score and give the game report back to the home team. The home team is responsible for uploading the match report and verifying the score is accurate in GotSport and/or Athlete One.

Standard Policy

Home Team: light shirt, light socks, any short | Away Team: dark shirt, dark socks, any shorts

Two Game / Travel Weekend

Game #1 (Saturday) – Home Team: light shirt, light socks, any short | Away: dark shirt, dark socks, any shorts
Game #2(Sunday) – Home Team: dark shirt, dark socks, any short | Away: light shirt, light socks, any shorts

In event of a conflict the AWAY team will be required to change

Referees should arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to scheduled kick off time.

Game fees should be paid to referees no later than immediately after the game.  The home team is responsible for payment:

  • U17, U18/U19 Fees:  $100 to referee and $75 to each assistant referee.
  • U14, U15, & U16: $85 to referee and $60 to each assistant referee.
  • U12 (11v11), U13: $80 to referee and $60 to each assistant referee.
  • U11 & U12: $60 to center referee and $40 to each assistant referee.
  • U8, U9 & U10: $50 to center referee.

More information is available on Referee Pay Structure page

The referee reports all red cards with Supplemental Report immediately following the game to redcard@floridaclubleagues.com. The referee assignor should also be included. The report should include age group, teams, player(s) sent off, the offense, and referee’s name, email and phone number. Referees should not keep player passes for players that are sent off; they should be returned to the coach or team manager. Please use this supplemental referee report [keep existing PDF link] and submit it with the above information to the FCL. The club receiving the red card must also notify FCL within 24 hours by submitting the Red Card Reporting Form (per Handbook §4.5).

  • Teams shall wait 15 minutes past the scheduled kickoff time for missing referees to arrive. If the missing referee provides an ETA, the match may begin and the assigned referee assumes duties at the next natural stoppage.
  • If at least two age-appropriate assigned referees are present after the grace period, the match must be played. If the center referee is missing, the higher-certified assistant serves as center for the entire match.
  • When a match proceeds with two referees, a neutral club linesman may be appointed only if they are a US Club Soccer credentialed adult, not rostered to either team, and approved by the away team. The club linesman only signals ball in/out of play. If no qualifying individual is available or approved, the match is played with two referees, with the assistant officiating from the spectators’ sideline.
  • If fewer than two assigned referees are present after the grace period, the match must be rescheduled (home team travels and pays all referee fees for the rescheduled match).
  • Teams have a 15-minute grace period after the scheduled start and must have a minimum of 7 players (11v11) ready to play; otherwise the match is a no-show forfeit. If a game must be shortened due to a late start, both teams and the referee shall agree on two equal shortened halves.
  • Lightning within ten (10) miles suspends play immediately; a 30-minute countdown begins from the last strike and resets with each new strike. A maximum 60-minute delay applies unless both teams mutually agree to extend.
  • Referees are required to submit an incident report for all matches that end prematurely.
  • Any player suspected of suffering a head injury must be evaluated by a licensed medical professional before returning to play.
  • If a club plans to use a healthcare professional to evaluate suspected head injuries, that person must be presented to the referee prior to the start of the match. Referees will not allow re-entry of players removed for suspected head injuries unless they met with a healthcare professional before kickoff.