Basketball: 2 or 3 officials in high school (NFHS mechanics cover both), 3 in college, 3 on-court in the NBA. Football: 7 in the NFL, 8 in major college (FBS), and anywhere from 3 to 7 in high school depending on the state and the game. Soccer: 1 referee, plus up to 2 assistant referees and a fourth official at higher levels. Baseball: 1 umpire in many youth games, 2 or 3 in high school. Youth and rec leagues usually use fewer officials than the rulebook maximum, and the league or section, not the organizer, sets the number for each level.
Crew size depends on the level, not just the sport
"How many referees does basketball have?" sounds like it should have one answer. It doesn't, and the same goes for almost every sport. A rec game for nine-year-olds and a varsity playoff game are both basketball, but one might be worked by a single official and the other by a three-person crew. The rulebooks are written to allow different crew systems, and the people who run each level of play choose which one applies.
On Long Island, that means a school game's crew is set by its section and state association, a travel or club game by its league, and a tournament by the tournament director's rules. When you book officials, you're not really choosing a number. You're matching the standard for your level. The sections below give the actual numbers used at each level, with sources at the bottom of the page, and then cover what to tell a referee service so the right crew shows up.
How many referees are in a basketball game?
Basketball is the question we get asked most, so here is the full breakdown.
| Level | Officials on the floor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Youth rec / clinic leagues | Often 1, sometimes 2 | Set by the league. Many rec programs use one official for younger divisions. |
| High school (NFHS rules) | 2 or 3 | The NFHS basketball officials manual covers two-person and three-person mechanics; the state association decides where each is used. |
| College (NCAA) | 3 | College mechanics manuals are written for three-official crews. |
| NBA | 3 on court + replay | NBA Rule 2 lists a crew chief, a referee and an umpire, plus a Replay Center official. The crew chief is the official in charge. |
Officials aren't the only people a basketball game needs. Every level relies on a scorer and a timer at the table. The NBA rule, for example, adds an official scorer, two timers (game clock and shot clock) and a courtside administrator. Youth and rec games on Long Island often have a volunteer from each team running the book and the clock. If your gym needs table help too, say so when you book, because a referee crew doesn't automatically include a scorekeeper.
Why go from two to three? With two officials, one works the lead position under the basket and one trails behind the play, and each covers a lot of floor. A third official at center takes the weak side, so fewer fouls away from the ball go unseen. That matters most in fast, physical games with a lot riding on the result. For booking a crew on Long Island, see our basketball referee page.
How many officials are in a football game?
Football uses the biggest crews of any common sport, and the numbers change a lot by level.
| Level | On-field officials | Positions |
|---|---|---|
| NFL | 7 | Referee, umpire, down judge, line judge, field judge, side judge, back judge |
| Major college (NCAA FBS) | 8 | The NFL's seven positions plus a center judge, who lines up in the offensive backfield opposite the referee |
| High school (NFHS) | 3 to 7 | NFHS publishes a three-official mechanics manual and a game officials manual for larger crews; the state association sets the size |
| Youth tackle | Usually a small crew | The league or youth organization sets it; ask before you book |
| Flag football | Usually 1 or 2 | Varies by league rules and field size |
NFL officials are often called "refs," but only one of the seven carries the title referee. That official wears the white cap and announces penalties. The others each own a part of the field: the umpire watches the line from the defensive side, the down judge and line judge work the sidelines at the line of scrimmage, and the field, side and back judges cover the deep part of the field and the defensive backs.
Football also needs a chain crew, the people who handle the line-to-gain chains and the down box. NFHS publishes separate instructions for line-to-gain crews, and in youth and high school football the home team usually supplies them. Don't assume your officiating crew brings the chains or the people to hold them. For booking youth or high school-style crews on Long Island, see our football referees for hire page.
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Request Officials →Soccer: one referee, and sometimes a lot of help
The IFAB Laws of the Game give each match a referee with full authority. Law 6 covers the other match officials: two assistant referees on the touchlines, and at higher levels a fourth official, a reserve assistant referee and video match officials. In practice, many youth games use a center referee working alone or with club linesmen who only signal when the ball goes out of play. Small-sided youth formats frequently run with one referee. Competitive travel, high school and adult league games are where you see the full three-person team of a referee and two assistants.
Baseball and softball: plate, then bases
Baseball crews grow from the plate outward. A one-umpire game puts the only umpire behind the plate, or behind the pitcher in some youth formats, calling everything. High school mechanics manuals describe a two-umpire system, with a plate umpire and a base umpire who moves between positions depending on where the runners are, and a three-umpire system that adds a third base umpire. Professional games use more. Softball follows a similar pattern. The jump from one umpire to two makes the biggest difference, because one umpire can't be in position for a steal of second and a play at the plate on the same pitch.
Hockey: two-, three- and four-official systems
USA Hockey's Rule 501 lists the standard systems for sanctioned games: two officials, who are both referees and also handle linesperson duties, or three officials, made up of one referee and two linespersons. Districts and affiliates can also use a four-official system, with two referees and two linespersons, for 14-and-under and older games, including high school and adult hockey. Linespersons handle offside, icing and most face-offs. Referees supervise the game and assess penalties.
Lacrosse: two minimum, three recommended
For boys' high school lacrosse played under NFHS rules, state association manuals describe a minimum of two officials, with three recommended. The three positions are referee, umpire and field judge. Girls' lacrosse is officiated under its own rule set, with different mechanics. Youth programs often run with two officials or one, depending on the league. For newer formats like Sixes and box lacrosse, crew sizes follow their own rules and are covered on their sport pages.
Volleyball: the stand, the post and the table
A volleyball match is run by a first referee on the stand at the net. Competitive matches add a second referee on the floor at the opposite post, who handles substitutions, timeouts and net and centerline faults. The table usually has a scorer, and many high school and club matches also use a libero tracker and line judges. Rec and church-league matches often run with just a first referee and volunteers at the table.
Quick reference: crew size by sport and level
| Sport | Youth / rec (typical) | High school / competitive | Top level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basketball | 1–2 | 2–3 | 3 (NBA, NCAA) |
| Football (tackle) | Small crew, set by league | 3–7, set by state association | 7 (NFL), 8 (NCAA FBS) |
| Soccer | 1 referee | 1 referee + 2 assistants | Adds fourth official and video officials |
| Baseball / softball | 1 | 2–3 | More at professional levels |
| Ice hockey | 2 (two referees) | 2, 3 or 4 | 4 (2 referees + 2 linespersons) |
| Boys' lacrosse | 1–2 | 2 minimum, 3 recommended | 3+ |
| Volleyball | 1st referee | 1st + 2nd referee, scorer, line judges | Full crew with line judges |
Treat the youth and rec column as a starting point. Your league's own rules decide.
Tournaments multiply the headcount
A tournament game usually uses the same crew size as a regular-season game at that level. A two-person basketball league doesn't automatically become a three-person tournament. What changes is the total number of officials the event needs. Four courts running at once with two-person crews means eight officials on the floor at any time, plus coverage for breaks and for courts that run long. Multiply by the number of time slots, and you have your staffing plan. Showcase games and finals are where organizers often add an official for the games that matter most. Our tournament referee staffing guide walks through planning a full weekend.
What to tell your referee service
- Sport, age group and division
- Level: rec, travel or competitive, school, adult or tournament
- Any written crew-size requirement from your league, section or tournament rules
- Number of fields, courts or rinks running at the same time
- Table help (scorer, timer) or a chain crew, if you need them
- Game length and start times, so the crew can cover back-to-back games
With those details, a referee service can staff the standard crew instead of guessing. Without them, services tend to assume the smallest crew, and you find out at the field. Crew size is also the biggest driver of what you pay, since every official on the crew earns a game fee. Our referee cost guide covers how pricing works on Long Island.
What if fewer officials show up than you booked?
Most rulebooks let a game go on with fewer officials than planned. The crew that's there switches to the mechanics for a smaller crew: a three-person basketball crew working as two, or a hockey game with two referees and no linespersons. The game is legal, but coverage is thinner, so expect more missed calls away from the ball. If your league requires a minimum crew to make the game official, check that rule before you start. When someone drops out at the last minute, call your referee service right away. A replacement is much easier to find hours before tip-off than ten minutes after.
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Basketball, football, soccer, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, volleyball and more across Nassau and Suffolk. Tell us the level and we'll match the crew.
Request Officials →Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the level. High school games are worked by two or three officials; the NFHS basketball officials manual covers both two-person and three-person mechanics, and the state association or league decides which one applies. College games use three-person crews. The NBA uses three on-court officials, a crew chief, a referee and an umpire, backed by a Replay Center official. Youth and rec leagues often use one or two.
The NFL uses seven on-field officials: referee, umpire, down judge, line judge, field judge, side judge and back judge. Major college (NCAA FBS) football uses eight, adding a center judge. High school crews vary by state and game; NFHS publishes mechanics for three-person crews and for larger crews of four, five, six and seven. Youth tackle games are commonly worked by smaller crews, and the league sets the number.
Under the IFAB Laws of the Game, a match is controlled by a referee, who can be assisted by two assistant referees and, at higher levels, a fourth official and video match officials. Many youth and small-sided games use only a center referee, with club linesmen or no assistants at all, depending on the league's rules.
Youth and rec baseball often runs with one umpire behind the plate. High school mechanics cover two-umpire crews (plate and base umpire) and three-umpire crews. Higher levels use more. The league or section sets the crew size for each level.
Usually the league, the school's state association or section, or the tournament's rules. The sport's rulebook sets who can officiate a game, and the governing body or league picks which crew system applies at each level. Tell your referee service the sport, age group, level and any written league requirement, and it should staff to that standard.
Yes, because each official is paid. A three-person basketball crew means three game fees instead of two. That's why level of play matters more for the budget than the sport. For what a crew costs on Long Island, ask for a quote with the per-official rate and crew size written out.
Sources (checked October 27, 2026): NBA Rule No. 2, Duties of the Officials; NFHS Basketball Officials Manual (two- and three-person mechanics); NFL Football Operations, officials' positions; NCAA.com on the eighth official (center judge); NFHS football resources (three-official mechanics manual, line-to-gain crew instructions); IFAB Laws of the Game, Law 6; USA Hockey Rule 501, Appointment of Officials; OHSAA boys' lacrosse manual (NFHS rules); MHSAA baseball umpire mechanics manual. Your league, section or tournament rules set the crew for your game.