FIFA Assistant Referee Fitness Test

The official fitness test for assistant referees consists of three tests:

  1. CODA: assesses the assistant referee’s ability to change direction
  2. Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA): measures the assistant referee’s ability to perform repeated sprints over 30m
  3. Interval Test: evaluates the assistant referee’s capacity to perform a series of high-speed runs over 75m interspersed with 25m walking intervals

Assistant referees must pass the FIFA Fitness Test at least once a year. The time between the end of Test 1 and the start of Test 2 is 2 to 4 minutes maximum. The time between the end of Test 2 and the start of Test 3 is 6 to 8 minutes maximum.

Assistant Referee Test 1: CODA (Change of Direction Ability)

  • Assistant referees run one 10m x 8m x 8m x 10m sprint
  • The distance between A and B is 2 meters. The distance between B and C is 8 meters.
  • The ‘start line’ is marked out 0.5m before the timing gate (A).
  • Assistant referees line up at the start with their front foot touching the ‘start line’. Once the test leader signals ready, the assistant referee is free to start.
  • Assistant referees sprint 10m forward (A to C), 8m sideways left (C to B), 8m sideways right (B to C) and 10 m forward (C to A).
  • If an assistant referee falls or trips, they should be given an additional trial.
  • If an assistant referee fails the trial, they should be given an additional trial. If they fail two trials, the match official has failed the test.

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Assistant Referee Test 2: Repeated Sprint Ability

  • Assistant referees run five consecutive 30 meter sprints followed by a recovery period after each sprint (while walking back to the start line)
  • The ‘start’ gate is placed at 0m and the ‘finish’ gate at 30m. The ‘start line’ is marked out 1.5m before the ‘start’ gate.
  • Assistant referees line up at the start with their front foot touching the ‘start line’. Once the test leader signals ready, the assistant referee is free to start.
  • Assistant referees receive a maximum of 30 seconds recovery between each of the 5 x 30m sprints. During recovery, assistant referees must walk back to the start.
  • If an assistant referee falls or trips, they should be given an extra trial (one trial = 1 x 30 m).
  • If an assistant referee fails one trial out of the five, they should be given a sixth trial immediately after the fifth trial. If they fail two trials out of six, the match official has failed the test.

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Assistant Referee Test 3: Interval Test

  • Assistant referees must complete 40 x 75m run / 25m walk intervals. This equates to 10 laps of a 400m athletics track. A lap consists of four 75 meter runs with four 25 meter recovery walks
  • The pace is dictated by the audio file and reference times are set in accordance with the assistant referee’s category.
  • Assistant referees must start from a standing position. They must not start before the whistle.On the whistle, assistant referees are allowed to start running.
  • At the end of each run, each assistant referee must enter the ‘walking area’ before the whistle. The walking area is marked out with a line 1.5m before and 1.5m behind the 75m line.
  • If an assistant referee fails to place a foot inside the walking area on time, they should receive a clear warning from the test leader. If an assistant 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.

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