U.S. Soccer Federation’s Referee Membership has grown tremendously in the past decade and at the conclusion of 2004 the total number of referees – including instructors and assessors – registered through the USSF surpassed 140,000. This figure is one of the largest among the 204 nations belonging to FIFA. U.S. Soccer Referees call games at every level of the sport in the United States, including youth, amateur and professional games, as well as sanctioned international competitions.

American referees are playing an increasing role in CONCACAF and continue to get more and better appointments to work international matches. In2004, U.S. Soccer referees worked 185 international matches in the United States alone, as well as officiating in numerous international tournaments outside of the U.S.

Some of the events at which the United States was represented included the Algarve Cup, the Four Nations Tournament, the Toulon Tournament, the 2004 Olympic Games and numerous CONCACAF qualifiers and international friendlies outside of the United States. Director of International and Professional Development, Esse Baharmast, supervises the development of referees for international assignments.

The hard work of U.S. Soccer’s Referee Program was rewarded early in 2005 when long-time official Kevin Stott was honored by FIFA as one of 46 international referees selected to compete for one of the 30 referee positions at the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006.

U.S Soccer originally began comprehensively training and developing a large number of referees in the early 1970s. The referee program has grown to become of the largest in the world, and is conducted by qualified state referee instructors in a consistent manner throughout the nation. The training program includes a requirement for referees to attend advanced national training programs annually and is under the direction of Alfred Kleinaitis, Manager of Referee Training and Development.