Major League Soccer referee lockout ends with new CBA

Major League Soccer and Professional Referee Organization (PRO) and Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) have finally come to an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The new agreement between all three groups is set to run through the 2030 season which is a landmark moment for refereeing in the league. The lockout between MLS and PRO, PSRA came after an initial agreement was reached in late February before the start of the 204 season but it fell through when members from PSRA voted against the proposed CBA.

Replacement referees have been in place since the first kick of the new MLS season and they've had their fair share of critics, especially this past weekend in Charlotte FC's 2-0 victory over Columbus Crew. But now, PRO referees are returning to the pitch as many players return from international duty for the upcoming matchday.

"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," MLS executive vice president of sporting product & competition Nelson Rodriguez said in a release.

"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.

"We look forward to having the PRO match officials return this weekend, and we thank MLS players, coaches, and clubs for their professionalism, and our fans for their support throughout the opening month of the season."

This weekend's matches will see the return of the PRO referees, with Philadelphia Union taking on Minnesota United in the early afternoon kickoff on Saturday following by Colorado Rapids vs LAFC.

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