Overview

• Major League Soccer (MLS) and its referees have reached a new seven-year collective bargaining agreement, ending a 37-day lockout.
• The agreement, which runs through 2031, is the longest labor deal for match officials in MLS history.
• Referees will see significant pay increases, with top-scale referees earning a minimum of $200,000 starting in 2028.
• Replacement officials were used during the lockout, leading to several high-profile errors in games.
• The deal was ratified with a 77.4% approval rate among eligible voters from the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA).