FIFA introduced this year an updated version of their fitness test, which is more demanding than the previous tests. Prospective referees and assistant referees for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup have to pass even more demanding tests. Here is a comparison between the requirements for "regular" FIFA referees and prospective World Cup referees.
Referees (men and women)
Test 1 – Change of Direction (COD) – evaluates the explosivity and the ability to change direction. It is conducted two times with 90 seconds recovery between runs.
Reference times (7-7-7 m)
FIFA Referees (men): N/A
FWC18 Referees: 4.80 sec
FIFA Referees (women): N/A
FWWC19 Referees: 5.30 sec
The time between the end of Test 1 and the start of Test 2 should be 6 minutes.
Test 2 – Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) – evaluates the capacity to perform repeated sprints with limited recovery time (60 sec) between runs.
Reference times (4x40 m)
FIFA Referees (men): 6.00 sec per trial
FWC18 Referees: 5.80 sec per trial
FIFA Referees (women): 6.40 sec per trial
FWWC19 Referees: 6.30 sec per trial
The time between the end of Test 2 and the start of Test 3 should be 10 minutes.
Test 3 – Endurance (Intervals) – evaluates the capacity to perform repeated high-intensity runs.
Reference times (4000 m: 75 m running/25 m walking)
FIFA Referees (men): 15 sec/18 sec
FWC18 Referees: 15 sec/15 sec
FIFA Referees (women): 17 sec/20 sec
FWWC19 Referees: 18 sec/18 sec
Additional Test – Dynamic Yo-Yo (DYY) – evaluates the ability to repeatedly perform intervals over a prolonged period of time.
Reference times
FIFA Referees (men): level 18-8 (2040 m)
FWC18 Referees: level 19-5 (2240 m)
FIFA Referees (women): level 17-8 (1720 m)
FWWC19 Referees: level 18-5 (1920 m)
Assistant Referees (men and women)
Test 1 Change of Direction Ability (CODA) – evaluates the ability to change direction.
Reference times (10-8-8-10 m)
FIFA Assistant Referees (men): 10.00 sec per trial
FWC18 Assistant Referees: 9.90 sec per trial
FIFA Assistant Referees (women): 11.00 sec per trial
FWWC19 Assistant Referees: 10.90 sec per trial
The time between the end of Test 1 and the start of Test 2 should be 6 minutes.
Test 2 (RSA) – evaluates the capacity to perform repeated sprints with limited recovery time (60 sec) between runs.
Reference times (5x30 m)
FIFA Assistant Referees (men): 4.70 sec per trial
FWC18 Assistant Referees: 4.60 sec per trial
FIFA Assistant Referees (women): 5.10 sec per trial
FWWC19 Assistant Referees: 5.00 sec per trial
The time between the end of Test 2 and the start of Test 3 should be 10 minutes.
Test 3 – Endurance (Intervals) – evaluates the capacity to perform repeated high-intensity runs.
Reference times (4000 m: 75 m running/25 m walking)
FIFA Assistant Referees (men): 15 sec/20 sec
FWC18 Assistant Referees: 15 sec/18 sec
FIFA Assistant Referees (women): 17 sec/22 sec
FWWC19 Assistant Referees: 18 sec/20 sec
Additional Test – ARIET – evaluates the aerobic fitness with the recommended standards.
Reference times
FIFA Assistant Referees (men): level 16.0-3 (1470 m)
FWC18 Assistant Referees: level 16.0-3 (1470 m)
FIFA Assistant Referees (women): level 14.5-3 (1080 m)
FWWC19 Assistant Referees: level 14.5-3 (1080 m)