Referee Foot Care: Preventing Athlete's Foot and Sweaty Feet Through Long Tournament Days

Sponsored by Dryello. Read the disclosure. Last reviewed September 25, 2026.

Key takeaways

• Athlete's foot is a fungal infection spread by contact, often on locker room and shower floors. Sweaty shoes don't cause it, but they help it grow (AAD, MedlinePlus).
• An antiperspirant reduces sweat. Powders mostly absorb it, and deodorants only address odor (AAD).
• Change socks between game blocks, and pick socks that wick moisture or dry quickly.
• Rotate field shoes so each pair dries fully before you wear it again.
• Never put antiperspirant on cracked or broken skin. Treat suspected athlete's foot with an antifungal first.
• Dryello is featured first because it sponsors this article. We didn't test any product.

Why referees are set up for sweaty feet and athlete's foot

A player might be on the field for an hour. On a busy Long Island tournament Saturday, an official can work four, five, or six games back to back, often on synthetic turf that holds heat, in black shoes, with only a few minutes between whistles. The feet never get a break. Sweat soaks into socks, the socks stay damp inside the shoe, and by the third game your feet have been sitting in a warm, wet environment for hours.

That matters because of how athlete's foot works. It's a fungal skin infection, and MedlinePlus describes the fungus as thriving in warm, moist areas. MedlinePlus lists wearing closed shoes, keeping feet wet for long periods, and sweating a lot as things that raise your risk. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says most people pick up athlete's foot by walking barefoot in moist public places like locker rooms and pool decks, and that the fungus thrives in the environment created inside hot, sweaty shoes. Officials check both boxes: shared locker rooms and field-house showers, then hours in closed shoes.

The feet themselves are part of the story too. The AAD lists the soles among the body areas where excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) most often shows up. Some people simply sweat more through their feet, and long days in synthetic shoes make it worse.

How to tell sweaty feet, foot odor, and athlete's foot apart

A game-day foot routine for officials

None of this is complicated. The trick is doing it every tournament day, not just when your feet already feel bad.

Before you leave home

• Wash your feet with soap and dry them completely, especially between the toes. The AAD recommends washing every day and drying fully.
• Apply a foot antiperspirant to clean, dry, unbroken skin if sweat is your main problem. Follow the label directions.
• Put on a pair of moisture-wicking socks. The AAD suggests looking for the words "moisture wicking" on the label, since not every polyester or nylon sock wicks.
• Wear the pair of field shoes that has had at least a day to dry out.

In your bag

• Two or three spare pairs of socks in a zip bag, plus an empty bag for the wet ones.
• Shower shoes or slides for locker rooms, field-house showers, and hotel bathrooms on travel tournaments. The AAD specifically recommends them for these places.
• A small towel just for your feet.
• A second pair of field shoes if you're working a double-header day.
• Your foot antiperspirant or antifungal, if you use one. Solid sticks don't spill in a bag, and Dryello lists its athlete's foot stick as TSA-friendly.

Between game blocks

• Loosen or slip off your shoes when you can. The AAD says this helps prevent odor, irritation, and skin infections.
• Change into dry socks at least once midday, and any time your socks feel wet.
• Don't walk barefoot in the officials' locker room or shower. Slides go on first.

After the last game

• Take shoes and insoles out of the bag as soon as you get home, and let them air-dry. Don't leave them zipped up in the car overnight.
• Wash and fully dry your feet. If you're treating athlete's foot, apply your antifungal now, as the label directs.
• Wash worn socks and your foot towel. The AAD advises not sharing towels or shoes with someone who has athlete's foot.

The products we recommend first

These are sponsored recommendations. Dryello paid for this placement, and we're telling you so up front. What follows sticks to what each product's FDA-listed label and the maker's website say. We haven't tested these products ourselves.

For sweaty feet: Dryello Antiperspirant Deodorant Foot Glide-On Stick, For Him

Dryello Foot Antiperspirant, For Him (sponsored)

• Drug Facts label on DailyMed: aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly 6%, purpose antiperspirant, use "reduces sweat."
• Directions: wash and dry the area, then apply with numerous broad strokes, including in crevices.
• Solid glide-on stick made for feet. Dryello says it goes on dry, so socks go right on.
• Warnings: not for broken skin; stop if a rash or irritation occurs; ask a doctor first if you have kidney disease.
• Listed at $14.50 and in stock on dryello.com on September 25, 2026.

Best for: Officials whose socks are soaked by the second game and who want an actual antiperspirant, not just an absorbent powder, in a format that won't leak in a referee bag.

See For Him at dryello.com

There's also a For Her version with the same active ingredient and label and, per Dryello, a lighter scent. It showed as sold out on dryello.com when we checked on September 25, 2026. Check For Her availability at dryello.com. Both versions are scented, and the inactive ingredients include orange peel oil, so they may not suit fragrance-sensitive skin.

For athlete's foot: Dryello Athlete's Foot Treatment Stick

Dryello Athlete's Foot Treatment Stick (sponsored)

• Drug Facts label on DailyMed: tolnaftate 1%, antifungal.
• Label uses: cures most athlete's foot; relieves itching, burning, cracking, and scaling; prevents recurrence of most athlete's foot with daily use.
• Label directions: wash and dry feet thoroughly, apply a thin layer twice daily (morning and night), pay special attention to the spaces between the toes, and change shoes and socks at least once daily.
• Dry glide-on stick, so there's no cream on your fingers. Dryello's site recommends twice daily for 4 weeks, then daily use to help prevent recurrence.
• Listed at $16.95 for a pack of two 15 g sticks on dryello.com on September 25, 2026. Dryello lists it as HSA/FSA eligible.

Best for: Officials who already have itching or peeling between the toes, or who keep getting athlete's foot back during the season.

See the stick at dryello.com

How the alternatives compare

If Dryello isn't right for you, these are real products you'll find at most pharmacies. The details below come from their Drug Facts labels or the manufacturer's site. We have no relationship with these brands.

Sweat and odor products

Athlete's foot treatments

Older officials, or anyone who wants a deeper comparison of foot antiperspirants, can see Senior Tech Review's guide to the best foot antiperspirants and sweat products for older adults. If you referee youth games and parents ask you about their own kids' smelly cleats, Mom's Magazine has a parent's guide to sweaty, smelly feet in tween and teen athletes.

Can referees treat athlete's foot during the season?

Yes. OTC antifungals are applied at home, morning and night, and you can keep working games while you use them. What matters is sticking with the full course. MedlinePlus advises continuing treatment for 1 to 2 weeks after the infection has cleared to keep it from coming back, and seeing a provider if it isn't better in 2 to 4 weeks.

The label habits help too. Dryello's tolnaftate label tells you to wear well-fitting, ventilated shoes and to change shoes and socks at least once daily. On a tournament day, that means a midday sock change is part of the treatment, not an extra.

Do sweaty feet cause athlete's foot?

Sweat doesn't cause the infection by itself. You have to come into contact with the fungus, usually on a damp floor or through shared shoes and towels. But once it's there, a wet shoe gives it an ideal place to grow. The AAD says to keep your feet dry even if you haven't gone barefoot in public areas, because the fungus thrives inside hot, sweaty shoes. So reducing sweat is a reasonable part of prevention, alongside shower shoes, daily washing, and dry socks.

Can I use a foot antiperspirant and an athlete's foot treatment at the same time?

Neither Dryello label addresses using the two together, so ask a pharmacist or your doctor if you want to combine them. The clear rule from the antiperspirant label is not to apply it to broken skin, and athlete's foot often causes cracking between the toes. A sensible approach is to treat the infection first, then add an antiperspirant to healthy, unbroken skin once the rash has cleared, if sweat is still a problem.

When should an official see a doctor?

See a clinician if symptoms aren't better after 2 to 4 weeks of self-care or keep coming back (MedlinePlus), or if the rash spreads to your toenails or other parts of your body. Get prompt care for a foot that's swollen, warm, streaked red, draining, or painful, or if you have a fever, since MedlinePlus lists these as signs of a possible bacterial infection. If you have diabetes, poor circulation, or numbness in your feet, talk to your clinician before treating any foot problem yourself. The NIDDK recommends checking your feet every day if you have diabetes.

Frequently asked questions

Do sweaty feet cause athlete's foot?

Not directly. Athlete's foot is a fungal infection you pick up from contact with the fungus, often on locker room and shower floors. But the fungus thrives in warm, moist conditions like the inside of hot, sweaty shoes, and MedlinePlus lists sweating a lot and keeping feet wet for long periods as risk factors. Keeping feet dry lowers the odds; it doesn't replace shower shoes and daily washing.

Can I use athlete's foot treatment while I'm still refereeing games?

Yes. Over-the-counter antifungals like tolnaftate are applied at home and don't require time off your feet. Dryello's tolnaftate label says to wash and dry your feet, apply a thin layer twice daily (morning and night), and change shoes and socks at least once daily. Stop and see a doctor if irritation occurs or it isn't better in 2 to 4 weeks (MedlinePlus).

What's the difference between a foot antiperspirant and foot powder?

An antiperspirant reduces the amount of sweat and has an OTC Drug Facts label with an aluminum-based active ingredient. Most foot powders absorb moisture that's already there or mask odor. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that antiperspirants reduce sweating and deodorants don't.

Can I put foot antiperspirant on athlete's foot?

Don't put it on cracked or broken skin. Dryello's antiperspirant label, like other antiperspirant labels, says not to use it on broken skin and to stop if a rash or irritation occurs. An antiperspirant doesn't treat a fungal infection. If the skin between your toes is cracked, peeling, or itchy, treat it with an antifungal first.

How many pairs of socks should a referee bring to a tournament?

Enough to change at least once midday, and more often when socks get wet. The AAD recommends changing socks every day and more often when they get wet, and choosing socks that wick moisture or dry quickly. For a full tournament day, a fresh pair per two or three games is a practical starting point.

Who should see a doctor instead of self-treating?

Anyone with diabetes, poor circulation, numbness in the feet, or a weakened immune system should talk to a clinician before treating foot problems themselves (NIDDK). Everyone should get prompt care for a foot that's swollen, warm, streaked red, draining pus, or accompanied by fever, which MedlinePlus lists as signs of a possible bacterial infection.

Sources

1. DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Dryello Antiperspirant Deodorant Foot Glide-On Stick drug label. Accessed September 25, 2026.
2. DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Dryello Athlete's Foot Treatment Stick (tolnaftate 1%) drug label. Accessed September 25, 2026.
3. American Academy of Dermatology. How to prevent athlete's foot. Accessed September 25, 2026.
4. American Academy of Dermatology. Hyperhidrosis: 6 tips dermatologists give their patients. Accessed September 25, 2026.
5. American Academy of Dermatology. Hyperhidrosis: Signs and symptoms. Accessed September 25, 2026.
6. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Athlete's foot (Medical Encyclopedia). Accessed September 25, 2026.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Causes of ringworm (including athlete's foot). Accessed September 25, 2026.
8. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Diabetes and foot problems. Accessed September 25, 2026.