Match Day Best Practices

COVID

• Match Directors are NO LONGER required to receive a COVID test or provide proof of vaccination prior to each assignment.

• If, however, you are feeling sick with COVID-like symptoms or test positive for COVID during the week of your assignment, please let the Competition Department know right away and do NOT come to the match.

DMR Changes after 60 Minutes Prior to Kickoff

• A club representative (usually Team Admin) will approach you about a roster change.

  • Take a screenshot of the DMR immediately to confirm the time to kickoff on the countdown clock.

  • Familiarize yourself with Competition Guidelines related to player changes prior to the match by reviewing the Roster Change deck on the Match Director Website in the Resources Section.

  • If you are unsure whether the change itself is allowed, confer with the Match Official and call the Competition Contact to clarify.

• Make the proposed change in the DMR (on your own device) in the presence of the Match Official and the Team Administrator of the Club making the change.

  • Click on the “X” next to the individual Player or Staff member to delete the selection.

  • Click the vacant position and select the correct Player or Staff Member.

  • If a Substitute is needed to replace the Starter, delete the Substitute first followed by the Starter.  Fill in the Starter’s position with the Substitute and then fill in the Substitute with any Player on the Club’s Match Day Roster if permitted according to Competition Guidelines.

• Immediately Call the Competition Contact and explain the EXACT details of the change you just made.

  • The Competition Contact will then send out the updated email roster to all stakeholders.

    • Match Directors will NO LONGER ‘Set Mail Body’ and ‘Send Mail.’

  • Communicate the change to the opposing Club and that the updated roster will be distributed shortly.

  • Include all details of the change process in your Match Director Report.

Match Director Role When Accusation of Player-to-Player Discriminatory Behavior

• The following document was created by PRO (Professional Referee Organization) management in order to give guidance to Match Officials when there is a reported instance of Discriminatory Language or Actions on on the field.

  • Dealing with Reported Incidents of Discriminatory Language or Actions - Guidance to Match Officials

• Match Directors are referenced in Step 10 of the guidance:

  • “In MLS games, prior to leaving the stadium the referee should make contact with the MLS Match Director (formerly PME) assigned to the game and provide as much detail as possible.”

• As such, the Match Director’s primary role in these situations is no different than any other high level incident that you are required to report on - make sure to absorb all the specific details reported to you by the Match Official and include it in a professional and detailed fashion in your report post-match.

• In these instances, it may be particularly valuable to write down the exact information as it is relayed to you by the officials.

• Additionally, you should be prepared to take note, in detail, of any portion of the incident(s) that you specifically observed yourself (if relevant).