The Effects of Match Congestion on Physical Performance in Football Referees

• Published in: International journal of sports medicine Vol. 43; no. 6; p. 512
• Main Authors: Moreno-Perez, Víctor, Courel-Ibáñez, Javier, Del Coso, Juan, Sánchez-Sánchez, Javier
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01-06-2022
• Subjects: Athletic Performance - physiology; Humans; Physical Functional Performance; Running - physiology; Soccer - physiology
• ISSN: 1439-3964
• DOI: 10.1055/a-1594-2739

We examined the changes in performance during congested (two matches within a 7-day interval) and non-congested (one match within≥7-day interval) fixtures in 17 elite football (soccer) referees during 181 official matches. External demands comprised 20 GPS-based metrics. Internal load was assessed by heart rate and rating of perceived exertion. Compared to non-congested fixtures, referees decreased their running distance at 21-24 km·h
(
=0.027, effect size [ES]=0.41) and > 24 km·h
(
=0.037, ES=0.28), the number of sprints (
=0.012, ES=0.29), and distance sprinting (
=0.022, ES=0.29) in congested matches. Most play metrics were lower in congested versus non-congested fixtures with low-to-moderate ES. During the 2nd half of non-congested fixtures, referees covered larger distances at low-speed running (
=0.025, ES=0.47). Match congestion due to officiating two matches less than a week apart caused a notable decrease in match running activity in professional football referees, especially at above 21 km·h
. These data reiterate the need for specific conditioning and post-match recovery strategies in high-level referees to ensure optimal judgment performance favouring the quality of the competition. Governing bodies should take these outcomes into account when designating referees for a match.