The Difference Between an Umpire and a Referee

by James Leatherwood

Overview

Many people use the terms "umpire" and "referee" interchangeably, or believe that baseball is the only sport with umpires. In fact, many sports have both referees and umpires. When multiple officials have responsibilities during a sporting contest, the most-senior official is often referred to as the referee; umpires generally have specific, more-limited responsibilities.
American Football

The referee is generally responsible for control of the game, gives the signals for all fouls, and is the final authority for rules violations. The umpire is primarily responsible for player and team equipment, and for player conduct on the line of scrimmage.

Tennis

Under International Tennis Federation rules, line and net umpires determine whether a ball remains in play, while the chair umpire has final responsibility for all decisions. The referee is usually off court and is responsible for ensuring the competition is fair and is played according to the rules.
Basketball

In college and high school, the lead or senior official is the referee, and the other officials are umpires. With some exceptions, the referee is responsible for scoring, time/clock management, substitutions, and the pregame inspection of the visiting team. The umpire is responsible for ensuring the legality of the home team's players and equipment.
Cricket

The referee is an off-field official, responsible for ensuring the match is played according to the rules and issuing penalties for violations. All on-field decisions are made by umpires.
Becoming a Referee (or Umpire)

The path most officials follow starts with youth sports. Studying the rulebook is important, but if you want to move up as an official, you'll need to invest in the proper equipment and attend clinics organized by local officials' associations.

Overview