MLS referee lockout ends as league’s refs sign off on new deal

Major League Soccer’s best referees will be back on the field this weekend after a five-week lockout.

On Tuesday, the Professional Soccer Referees Association and Professional Referee Organization ratified a new seven-year collective bargaining agreement. The referees had been locked out since before the MLS season, which began on Feb. 21. MLS confirmed that PSRA officials will return to the field beginning this weekend for the league’s Matchday 7 games. The MLS has used replacement officials for its first 70 games this season.

“We thank the hundreds of officials in the U.S. and Canada who stood in solidarity with us showing their strength and professionalism,” the PSRA said in a statement Tuesday.

“Standing strong with each other, we have been buoyed by the support of players, fans, supporters clubs, and other unionized work groups during our employer-imposed lockout. Together, we have won much-needed improvements while demonstrating the value of having the best referees in Major League Soccer on the pitch.”

While the top officials are back, the first six weeks of the season with replacement referees did not go without incident, as Union fans know well. On March 2, the Union were awarded a stoppage-time throw-in against Sporting Kansas City even though the ball last touched forward Mikael Uhre. The error quickly led to a corner kick which the Union capitalized on via an Alejandro Bedoya 95th-minute equalizer.

Two weeks ago, the PSRA released a statement that “points were lost, red cards were incorrectly given while other red cards were incorrectly not given, and ‘stonewall’ penalty kick decisions were missed” after a series of high-profile blown calls during the league’s games that weekend.

But the most controversial moment came on March 2 when MLS pulled referee Guilherme Ceretta for a potential conflict of interest just hours before he was set to referee Inter Miami’s game against Orlando City. This came after pictures circulated on social media of Ceretta wearing an Inter Miami jersey.

The PSRA, which has about 260 members, had been locked out as it sought a new deal with a sufficient economic package and quality-of-life improvements. The previous CBA expired on Jan. 15.

“The skyrocketing growth of MLS has significantly increased demands on officials mentally and physically, and as such has increased demands on both our professional and personal time,” PSRA president Peter Manikowski said in a statement in February. “Our members are asking not only for fair compensation at a time when the league is reporting record growth, but also for the ability to take care of themselves on the road and at home to continue officiating at the highest level that this sport demands.”

Those demands, headlined by increased compensation, seem to have been met with the sides agreeing to the longest-ever agreement for MLS referees.

Nelson Rodríguez, the league’s executive vice president of sporting product and competition, issued the following statement:

“Major League Soccer has some of the best match officials in the world, and PRO’s new CBA with PSRA recognizes that by committing substantial resources to the referee program — an investment that ranks among the highest for any global soccer league. We’re pleased this agreement provides PRO with a strong, long-term partnership to continue to develop and train the referees to make our officiating even better.

“We thank PRO and the match officials who’ve worked selflessly since the start of the 2024 MLS season. Many of these officials were already advancing toward becoming PRO match officials, and their participation provided important on-field experience, which will continue to benefit PRO, MLS, and all the other leagues in the future

“We look forward to having the PRO match officials return this weekend, and we thank MLS players, coaches, and clubs for their professionalism, and our fans for their support throughout the opening month of the season.”