Centre for Advanced
Referee Development

Alberta's elite soccer referee development program — training the next generation of referees for the highest levels of the game.

2026 Intake Info Learn More
— Active Referees
2 Regions
3 CARD Categories
4–7 Hours / Month
About the Program

What is CARD Alberta?

The CARD program falls within the newly developed Alberta Referee Programs Pathway — a joint effort between the Alberta Soccer Association (ASA), the Calgary District Soccer Referees Association (CDSRA), and the Edmonton District Soccer Referee Association (EDSRA). The pathway aims to provide referee programming and development for all levels of referees, from entry-level to advanced.

Who Can Apply

Open to all referees in Alberta aged 16 and over with at least one year of district referee experience. Preference is given to those with 2+ seasons of experience.

Why Apply

Members receive priority assigning to ASA's top competitions, including League1 Alberta, AMSL, APDL, USport, ACAC, and Alberta Soccer Provincial Championships.

What to Expect

A high-performance program with ongoing performance evaluations. Referees commit 4–7 hours per month to specialized education, self-assessments, and video analysis.

Rural Referees

Designed to be inclusive regardless of location. Virtual training and mentorship options are available, and Alberta Soccer may assist with travel for match opportunities.

Program Structure

Three Categories of Development

The CARD program provides a structured pathway from entry to elite, with each category building the skills needed to officiate at Alberta's — and Canada's — highest competitions.

Category 1
DEVELOPMENT

The entry point into the CARD program. Referees build foundational advanced skills, receive specialized coaching, and begin structured self-assessment practices.

Category 2
CORE

Referees deepen their technical knowledge and gain access to higher-category competitions including provincial leagues and championships.

Category 3
ADVANCED

The elite tier of the program. Referees at this category are prepared for national-level competitions and considered for Canada Soccer appointments.

Referee Development

The Alberta Referee Pathway

The Alberta Referee Pathway is a structured development journey designed to take referees from their first whistle all the way to the international stage. CARD sits at the top of this pathway, providing elite-level training for referees ready to officiate Alberta's and Canada's top competitions.

Alberta Referee Pathway diagram

How the Pathway Works

All new referees enter through the Referee Pool, open to anyone who completes their initial certification. From there, referees progress through Integrated Referee Training (IRT) and the Referee Enhanced Development (RED) program before being considered for CARD. Exceptional referees may fast-track directly into CARD.

Once in CARD, referees advance through three categories — Category 1 (Development), Category 2 (Core), and Category 3 (Advanced) — each unlocking access to higher-level competitions including AMSL, APDL, League1 Alberta, USport, and ultimately national and FIFA appointments.

Education Sessions

Both the CDSRA and EDSRA run regular referee education sessions open to all referees in the program. All education sessions are free of charge.

CDSRA — Calgary District Soccer Referees Association
Visit cdsra.org for session information →
EDSRA — Edmonton District Soccer Referee Association
Session information coming soon
2026 Participants

CARD Alberta Referees

The following referees are current participants in the CARD Alberta program. Use the filters to explore by region, category, or classification.

— Female Officials
— Average Age across active referees
— North Region EDSRA referees
— South Region CDSRA referees
Name ↕ Region ↕ Category ↕ Classification ↕ City
2026 Intake

Applications Now Closed

Thank you to everyone who applied for the 2026 CARD Alberta program. Applications for the 2027 intake will reopen in Winter 2026.

The CARD program is an excellent opportunity for referees looking to advance their careers and gain exposure to Alberta's top competitions. Check back here when applications open.

  • 2026 Intake: Closed
  • 2027 Applications Open: Winter 2026
  • Eligibility: Alberta referees, 16+, 1+ year district experience

Questions?

Reach out to the CARD Alberta team:

admin@cardalberta.com

Resources

Alberta Soccer — Referee Programs ↗
Alberta Soccer
Calgary District Soccer Referees Association
Edmonton District Soccer Referee Association