Last week, we reported Antonio Vitale of Alliance, Ohio was the Youngest Referee in the United States.  This generated a lot of comments from referees who started at age 9 or 10, lessening the credibility of Ohio’s Beacon Journal report. With the criticism comes a report from Indiana where the Indiana Soccer Referee Committee...

The Bosnian Cup semi-final between Borac Banjaluka and visiting Zeljeznicar Sarajevo was abandoned on Wednesday after home fans hit an assistant referee with a missile. A charged atmosphere rife with nationalist chants boiled over midway through the second half when Borac fans hurled a hard object that hit the assistant referee, forcing...

MANCHESTER, England – Manchester United benefit from favorable refereeing decisions at home, according to a Manchester City executive. “When United play at home they get some advantage that other teams don’t get,” the former Arsenal midfielder told BBC Sport at the Soccerex conference in Manchester on Wednesday. “I...

MANCHESTER, England – UEFA might stick with using extra assistant referees rather than introduce goalline technology in its Champions League and European Championship matches even if the use of technology is passed into law this year, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday. Infantino’s comments are the broadest...

LONDON – A referee sent off five players in the dressing rooms after a post-match brawl at an English League Two (fourth tier) game between Bradford City and promotion-chasing Crawley Town. “I can’t believe this has happened,” Bradford manager Phil Parkinson, who had three players shown red cards after the 2-1...

Antonio Vitale is very young to be a soccer referee in his hometown of Alliance, Ohio. At the age of 10, he is the youngest licensed official of Ohio and likely in all of the United States. Antonio completed an Ohio North State Referee Committee clinic in February and passed the 100-question test to become a Grade 8 referee. He now officiates...

The love of soccer drives us all.  Players push through mental and physical barriers, coaches drive and maneuver winning formations, fans scream and cheer in their form of participation, and referees continue to learn, enforce, evolve, and promote the sport to all. We started ProReferee in August 2009 to promote information to soccer officials....

Referee David Gantar blows the whistle to stop play during the San Jose Earthquakes and DC United MLS match on July 3, 2010. (PROREFEREE/Jason Sholl) Retaliation fouls may occur from a build-up of frustration over time, but they often occur immediately after contact where a player perceives such contact to be a foul. There is a higher risk for quick retaliation...

Referee Edvin Jurisevic awards a penalty kick during the Chivas USA and San Jose Earthquakes MLS match on April 24, 2010. (PROREFEREE/Jason Sholl) When faced with a challenge in the Penalty Area, the Referee must make a decision regarding not only foul or no-foul, but whether misconduct has occurred. If a foul has been committed by a defender within the...