FIrst TIme Ref Course Update for Summer 2026

The Oregon Soccer Referee Organization (OSRO) is temporarily pausing all First-Time Referee courses from June 1st until mid-July.

This is necessary as we transition between the U.S. Soccer certification cycles. We want to ensure everyone registers under the correct cycle and has enough time to complete their training.

Important Dates for the 2026 Certification Year (Ending June 30, 2026)

  • Coursework Deadline: All online coursework for the current 2026 U.S. Soccer certification cycle must be completed by June 29, 2026.
  • No Progress Carry-over: U.S. Soccer strictly prohibits the carry-over of unfinished course progress between registration cycles. Any incomplete courses are automatically canceled on June 30th, resulting in a loss of access and registration fees.
  • We are pausing June courses specifically because of the tight deadline. Based on past experience, starting a course now doesn’t give students enough time to complete their coursework before the deadline.

Upcoming 2027 Certification Year (Starting July 1, 2026)

  • New Curriculum Release: U.S. Soccer is scheduled to release the curriculum for the new 2027 certification year during the first week of July.
  • Course Availability: We cannot set up or post new courses in the Learning Center until this curriculum is officially released.
  • Anticipated Schedule: We anticipate that new courses for the 2027 registration cycle will be posted in mid-July.

 

We appreciate your patience! Please check our website after July 1st for the official schedule of new 2027 courses

First Time Referee Courses

The First Time Referee Course is an introductory course for aspiring referees ages 13 and older.  Students who pass the course will be eligible to officiate a variety of recreational and competitive matches for both the youth and adult games as either a referee or assistant referee depending upon age and experience.  Cost: $99 (plus background check fee for those over 18, appx $25). US Soccer requires that those who register MUST be 13+ at the time of registration.  There are no exceptions to this requirement.

2026 Referee Registration Period US Soccer opens the 2026 registration year on July 1, 2025. Your 2026 referee license will be valid from the time you complete ALL the requirements below through Dec 31, 2026.  

There are TWO components for the First-Time Referees Course – students must complete both to be certified.

ONE – After registering for the course in the US Soccer Learning Center, you will have immediate access to the online portion of the course. The online coursework consists of modules, videos, quizzes, and updates to the Laws of the Game. You can start and stop the online modules as you need to, your work will be saved.

  • Online Referee Course Modules – 4.5 hr.
  • First-Time Referee Quiz -  45 mins.
  • Laws of the Game Update – 20 mins.
  • SafeSport (if 18 years or older)- 1 hr.
  • Introduction to Safe and Healthy Playing Environments – 1 hr.

TWO  – All referees are required to attend an IN PERSON Field Training Session.  The field training will take approximately 3 hours and there is no additional cost.

If your club would like to host a First Time Referee Course, please click here to submit a request.

 

First Time Referee Courses (formerly known as Grassroots)