Referees
BC Soccer's Referee Programs and courses are designed to support and foster the development and education of Referees and Development Support Leaders to perform along British Columbia’s Development Pathway. The goal of BC Soccer is to provide registered Referees and Development Support Leaders across the province with the tools necessary to help advance their abilities.
BC Soccer provides referee courses through a hybrid delivery model that enables students to engage with material through self-guided learning and a classroom/practical training session to reinforce learning objectives highlighted in each course. Learn more below:
How do I register for a referee course?
Begin registering for courses now! Below, you will find all the essential information, including course details, learning outcomes, and step-by-step instructions on how to sign up.
Still have questions? Check out the Referee Pathway or explore our Frequently Asked Questions for more answers and helpful insights about where to start.
Please reach out to your local soccer club or head referee. You can find a list of head referees in BC that you can contact below:
How do I maintain my referee certification?
Learn more about how to maintain your Small Sided or Entry Level referee status, including required annual registration and Refresher courses.
How do I host a referee course?
Interested in hosting a referee course? Learn more about the requirements, steps, and support available to make your course a success.
The Referee Upgrade Program is designed to identify, educate, and develop Referees who seek promotion to Regional and Provincial classification in British Columbia. Candidates entering the Regional upgrade component of the program will be applying as a Grade 8 official based on the Grading Protocol. Successful completion of the program will promote the classification to a Grade 9 Regional Referee.
Candidates entering the Provincial upgrade component of the program will be applying as a Grade 9 official based on the Grading Protocol. Successful completion of the program will promote the classification to a Grade 10 Provincial Referee. For more information about program details and how to apply, click the link below.
The Provincial Program for Referees builds on the previous PREP program and is designed to bring together identified Referees from the Regional and Provincial classification streams into performance training and game environments. The program’s focus is to support each Referee’s development while also creating an overall environment that allows scouting opportunities for BC Soccer Provincial Upgrading and National Nominations with Canada Soccer.
This program is ultimately designed to prepare identified Referees for competition that includes the BC Soccer Premier League (BCSPL), Provincial Program and Whitecaps Youth matches, along with League1BC, and College/University matches.
In alignment with how BC Soccer supports Coach education through the In-Club Learning Facilitator Program, the same in-club approach has been adopted for the re-designed Referee Instructor Program.
The Assessor Program is a key component of BC Soccer’s commitment to providing assessor education training and development for all Assessors across British Columbia. This program is aimed to support BC Soccer's member organizations and its affiliate clubs to meet the demand of training Assessors across the province in every region and soccer community.
