Fitness Test
To upgrade and recertify every year as a Regional Referee, you must pass the FIFA fitness test. The official fitness test for football referees consists of two tests. Test 1, Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA), measures the referee’s ability to perform repeated sprints over 40m. Test 2, Interval Test, evaluates the referee’s capacity to perform a series of high-speed runs over 75m interspersed with 25m walking intervals
Test 1: Repeated Sprint Ability
Electronic timing gates (photocells) should be used to time the sprints. Timing gates should be positioned no higher than 100 cm from the ground.
The ‘start’ gate should be placed at 0m and the ‘finish’ gate at 40m. The ‘start line’ should be marked out 1.5m before the ‘start’ gate.
Referees should line up at the start with their front foot touching the ‘start line’. Once the test leader signals that the electronic timing gates are set, the referee is free to start.
Referees should receive a maximum of 60 seconds recovery between each of the 6 X 40m sprints. During their recovery, referees must walk back to the start.
If a referee falls or trips, they should be given an additional trial (one trial = 1 x 40 m).
If a referee fails one trial out of the six, they should be given a seventh trial immediately after the sixth trial. If they fail two trials out of seven, the match official has failed the test.
Time
6.40 seconds per trial
Test 2: Interval Test
Referees must complete 40 x 75m run / 25m walk intervals. This equates to 4,000m or 10 laps of a 400m athletics track. The pace is dictated by the audio file and reference times are set in accordance with the referee’s category.
Referees must start from a standing position. They must not start before the whistle. To ensure that referees do not start early, assistant test leaders should be positioned at each start line to control the start.
At the end of each run, each referee must enter the ‘walking area’ before the whistle. The walking area is marked out with cones 1.5m before and 1.5m behind the 75m line.
If a referee fails to place a foot inside the walking area on time, they should receive a clear warning from the test leader. If a referee fails to place a foot inside the walking area on time for a second occasion, they should be stopped by the test leader and informed that they have failed the test.
It is recommended that the test be run in groups comprising no more than six referees. It is possible to have four groups running the test simultaneously (see below), meaning a total of 24 referees can be tested at once. Each group should be allocated with a test leader who should monitor their group closely throughout the test.
Time
Maximum 17 seconds per 75m run and 20 seconds per 25m walk.
Practice with the audio file
You can download the audio file below, put it on and try running the test for yourself as practice. You can use a soccer field instead since generally high school tracks may not be as accessible.
Because you want to be able to run faster than the required test, you might want to practice faster than your normal reference times. A lot of referees practice endurance running or doing a 15 second run and 17 second walk instead of the usual 17/20. That way, when test time comes, you will be flying through with no issues.
2025 Dates
Here are the dates for the fitness test around the state.
- TBD
