The PSRA (Professional Soccer Referee Association) and PRO (Professional Referee Organization) have agreed to a new CBA that will run until 2031, according to Pablo Maurer of The Athletic.

A tentative deal was agreed to last week. Officials such as Drew Fischer and Armando Villarreal, and those who regularly officiate MLS matches, voted to accept the agreement late Monday night. With the deal solidified and MLS officials getting significant pay raises, PRO will have its senior officials back on the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

“We look forward to welcoming our senior match officials back this upcoming match round. It has been a difficult time for everyone as we worked to reach an agreement,” said PRO General Manager Mark Geiger.

“This seven-year term provides enhanced pay and benefits for all officials and the stability that will support the growth of the professional game in the United States and Canada. On behalf of PRO, I would like to thank the PSRA negotiating team and the federal mediator for their commitment to finding a mutually agreeable conclusion to these negotiations and their hard work in finalizing the terms. We now move forward together with renewed positivity as PRO continues to lead the way in developing world-class match officials,” Geiger continued.

According to Jeff Carlisle of ESPN, 93 of the 97 eligible voters participated in the process, with 72 voting “yes,” making the approval rate 77.4%.

Though it was not the most “optimal” experience locking out the PRO referees and using replacement officials, things were very complicated within the first month of the season. The most complex came when an official was slated to center the Florida Derby match between Orlando City SC and Inter Miami CF, but photos surfaced on the internet of the match official donning an Inter Miami kit that morning.

According to Carlisle, through the first six weeks of MLS play, there were 35 VAR interventions, 51% higher than recorded last season. Three of those interventions came from matches that involved the Columbus Crew.

Most recently, the match between the Crew and Charlotte FC was a prime example of why a lot of — if not all — fans wanted to see the household officials back on the pitch. Within the first half, which was later deemed the longest half of MLS soccer played in league history, Columbus saw Derrick Jones see a straight red eight minutes after being entered into the match and a Cucho Hernandez goal that was ruled “offside” by VAR.

Through a pool reporter process, the match official Christopher Calderon detailed that “a combination of beauty camera and right 18-yard camera confirmed his offside position” concerning Max Arfsten, who would have had the primary assist on the negated goal.

So, while the replacement referees did their best, MLS will now see the senior officials back for Matchweek 7, starting March 30.

“Major League Soccer has some of the best match officials in the world, and PRO’s new CBA with PSRA recognizes that by committing substantial resources. To the referee program — an investment that ranks among the highest for any global soccer league. We’re pleased this agreement provides PRO with a strong, long-term partnership to continue to develop and train the referees to make our officiating even better,” said MLS Executive Vice President of Sporting
Product and Competition Nelson Rodriguez.

“We thank PRO and the match officials who’ve worked selflessly since the start of the 2024 MLS season. Many of these officials were already advancing toward becoming PRO match officials, and their participation provided important on-field experience, which will continue to benefit PRO, MLS, and all the other leagues in the future.”

In addition to the referee lockout ending, MLS will also start implementing new rules:

• Substituted players will not have to exit the field of play within 10 seconds, or else the team will play a man down for the following minute.

• Players who are injured and down on the pitch for more than 15 seconds must leave the field to receive treatment.

• In-stadium VAR announcements will take place from the center official inside MLS stadiums. This initiative first debuted during the Women’s World Cup.