We first want to thank you for being a part of the Referee community in the Greater Charlotte area and in North Carolina. We are excited to work with you at CRO! Below you will find all the information pertaining to matches assigned for Charlotte Independence Soccer Club ECNL Matches. A lot of this information may be familiar to you, however, there is always updated information each season. We are hoping that this information will now all be in one spot for you to find easily when you need it for each weekend. 

Arrival: 30 minutes before kick off - If for any reason you will not be there 30 minutes before please contact your crew. 

Arrival Attire: ENCL Regional or National League and Pre-ECNL - Black Polo (USSF, NCSRA or CRO Preferred), Track Suit, Track pants or Referee Shorts with socks pulled up. 

Rules of Competition

• ECNL Referee Procedure - MUST READ FOR ALL REFEREES

• ECNL Handbook 

Referee Procedure Highlights - Below is the new Check in and Report procedure as of September 10, 2024 - READ OVER ALL PDFS &LINKS INCLUDED IN THIS MESSAGE AS THIS HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY FROM PAST ECNL SEASONS

Referee Assignors -  

I hope all is well and everyone is looking forward to another exciting ECNL and ECNL RL season! 

This weekend, we are excited to announce the launch of our all new, fully digital platform for ECNL and ECNL RL match day procedures.  This process will replace the use of paper match reports and physical pass cards while allowing team managers and referees to manage all steps of the game day process from their phones!  This is the culmination of months of beta testing that has included many clubs and referees around the country.  

As part of this rollout, we wanted to share some helpful information with all ECNL and ECNL RL referee assignors that can then be disseminated to the referees you assign throughout the season: 

1.  The digital match day process is handled on a smartphone.  The team managers will start this process upon player check-in, using their phone(s).  Following the check-in of both team rosters, the app provides the opportunity for a referee to scan a QR code, enabling the referee to handle all additional digital tasks on their own phone.  If the referee does not have a phone or does not want to use their own phone for match day procedures, this will not stop the match day process.  There is a clickable option within the app for the team manager to use their own phone in support of the referee. 

2.  We have included graphics in the links below to familiarize yourself and all referees with the digital interface that will ultimately lead to a smoother and quicker experience on match day.  These links provide step-by-step guides to what will be viewed on the phone during the game day process.  

3.  In the event there is one or more red cards (or double yellow), there will be a requirement to complete an incident report through the app. It is highly recommended that the referee completes that incident report on-site, immediately following the game. In the event the referee is unable to do so, there is an option to have the report emailed to the referee to complete later.  Please be aware when completing this report later, the referee will be required to create a FREE account within Athlete One. This will also lead to quicker logins in the event you need to complete an incident report after the fact in a future match.

NOTE:  the incident report provided to the ECNL does not replace a USSF Supplemental Report or any additional reporting requirements with the SRA

Below you will find all relevant links for walkthroughs and visual aids for all match day procedures. Please ensure these are shared with any referees who you will be assigning throughout the course of the 2024-25 season. 

• Adding Players and Staff to the Game Roster

• How To Check the Team in

• How Referees Report Scores