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How do you choose the perfect referee outfit?
Referee clothing is available in many shapes and sizes. The KNVB currently has a partnership with Nike.
This means that all referees in the professional Dutch competitions wear Nike clothing.
These referee kits have also been for sale for amateur referees for a number of years.
Of course, this does not mean that you have to buy all things from Nike, you still have free choice, especially if you stick to the simple rules below.
Here's a video of Matty showing what's in his referee bag:
In this article I want to talk specifically about the right referee clothing.
If you want to go for a uniform in one go, I would recommend this official one from FIFA (Adidas) and KNVB (Nike) recommend. In addition, there are also a number of cheaper options that I will come back to in a moment.
If you also want to purchase referee accessories, look at the page with referee accessories.
These are the most important pieces of clothing to keep in mind:
| Type of clothing | Images |
| Referee Shirt |  (view more options) |
| Referee Pants |  (view more options) |
| Referee socks |  (view more options) |
| Football boots |  (read the article) |
Below I will explain the different garments in more detail.
What we discuss in this comprehensive post:
Full referee uniform
Referee clothing is available in almost every sports store. You can also find referee clothing in all kinds of price categories on the internet.
| Long-lasting | Images |
| Cheap full referee uniform: Some stores offer sets for about €50,-, this often concerns brands such as KWD or this one from Masita |  (view more images) |
| Official uniforms: Here are the official FIFA (Adidas) and KNVB (Nike) Referee uniforms are also for sale, often for around €80 for the entire set (shirt, pants and socks). | (view more images) |
All items can also be ordered separately in many stores or web shops. Look further on this page to purchase referee clothing.
Nike's current Eredivisie collection is also included here.
The KNVB also sells referee clothing in its webshop.
In case you want to purchase an official KNVB referee's outfit, you will have to purchase it yourself at a sports store, the KNVB or below.
Of course it always looks nice, such a shirt with the official logo of the KNVB, but for most matches this will certainly not be necessary.
What does a Referee outfit consist of?
A uniform is actually a complete referee suit. You need everything from the bottom of your referee shoes, to which I have devoted a very separate articleall the way to the top of your shirt.
A farewell suit is therefore something that you will have to purchase together. It must be well put together.
When you choose the clothes, start with the shoes. You often only have one pair of these so that you can put together several outfits that all match those shoes in terms of style and colors.
Of course you can always buy two identical sets so that you always have a spare and don't want to think about it too much.
Referee shirt
Of course, every referee also wants to look good. After all, he is watched a lot during the match, but above all he will have to stand out against the two playing teams.
When choosing the shirt, you should think about the colors as much as possible to avoid confusion on the pitch.
At footballshop.nl there are many different ones to choose from. So you have the:
- Adidas Ref 18, made especially for referees and available in a variety of colors
- Adidas UEFA Champions League
- Nike KNVB referee shirt with long sleeves
What color is a referee's shirt?
A shirt is no longer just black and white. Often still, but you also see more and more colors coming back.
The almost all black color was easy, because teams didn't have it as their home or away kit. So it was always immediately clear who the ref on the field was.
Today, football has become much more of a fashion phenomenon. The players have the most beautiful shoes and socks and the ref can't stay behind.
That is why you now see more and more color coming back, especially in the shirts.
A good color for a referee shirt is a bright color, sometimes close to neon. That is a color that will certainly not appear in a football uniform for one of the teams and it is immediately very striking.
Other colors that never appear in football shirts are also a good choice. In that case, it is often earthy colors that you see coming back.
Of course you can also wear the faithful black shirts.
In any case, do not choose a red/white shirt, then you know for sure that you will run into problems with your recognition on the field!
Are both long sleeve shirts and short referee shirts allowed?
As a referee you are in motion a lot to run after the ball and to oversee everything. Yet there are often quieter moments, such as when the game is stopped.
Fortunately, you can also stay warm with long sleeves.
Referees can choose for yourself whether they want their long-sleeved shirt, or more in short-sleeved t-shirt form. And that is sometimes convenient in this cold frog country in which we live!
The most important thing is that the shirt fits you comfortably and that you can move freely. For the rest you have a free hand in choosing your top.
This referee shirt from Nike is, for example, an official KNVB shirt and has long sleeves. It is worn during matches in the Eredivisie and the TOTO KNVB Cup.
It is black, has long sleeves and two handy pockets on the front. Very practical, because here you can safely store the cards until you need them unexpectedly.
The KNVB logo is printed on the left pocket and main sponsor ARAG is depicted on both sleeves. The referee shirt is made of the original Nike Dry material.
This keeps you dry and comfortable. It consists of a new technology, specially designed by Nike to transport the perspiration moisture to the outside of the shirt.
There it can dry up faster and you stay drier during the matches.
Here's a video from Nike on how the Dry Fit material works:
Furthermore, the referee shirt has a mesh insert, which keeps the shirt as cool as possible and is breathable. The shirt has a polo collar with buttons and the raglan sleeves provide extra freedom of movement.
The Nike shirt is made of 100% polyester.
Referee Pants
A referee shorts is actually always shorts, in black.
Maybe somewhere with an Adidas or Nike logo on it in white. The advantage is that you can combine the black pants with all possible shirt colors as mentioned above.
Black goes with almost everything. Adidas has here for example the perfect pants and has been specifically developed with referees in mind.
Go here especially for fit and moisture absorption. You'll be running back and forth quite a bit, and as a referee you probably won't be as young as the players anymore.
This one from Adidas is made of 100% polyester and has handy side pockets and a back pocket. This is of course useful for everything you take with you and for storing your notes.
This referee clothing has a ventilating effect due to the mesh parts. The Champions league logo is stuck on the right trouser leg.
It also has an elastic band at the top that you can pull tighter so that the pants stay in place.
Referee socks
Then the bottom of your outfit, the referee socks. Here too you can go wild with your choice because the classic black socks are no longer necessary.
In most cases, you now have a solid base of black pants, a black shirt or perhaps a bright colored one, and you can now further tailor your socks to this.
Do not choose colors that are close to each other, for example a sand-colored shirt and socks, but from a different brand.
Then it's better to go for a set or for something completely different.
Adidas socks, the Ref 16, are specifically made for referees and are not so expensive here.
These Adidas referee socks are ergonomically shaped and also have a specific sock for the left foot and one for the right foot.
They fit perfectly around the foot for the best fit. The footbed provides good cushioning when running and also provides a good grip inside the shoe.
These referee socks also provide you with good support at the instep, heel and heel and you can get them in different colors, as shown below:
What else do I need for clothing as a referee?
In addition to the clothes you wear on the field, it is also useful to have clothes for outside the field.
Especially when it is cold or wet, it can be wise to bring some warmer clothes.
Referee Tracksuit
A tracksuit is of course never wrong to stay warm and you immediately have warm pants and matching jacket. Using the officials this Nike KNVB Dry Academy.
It is black anthracite and belongs to the official KNVB Referee Collection.
That means that the top referees also wear it during the KNVB Eredivisie matches and now you can buy it too. The Nike Dry Academy Suit has a very sleek and fast look-and-feel due to its fast design.
Furthermore, Nike has used a special “Dry” material that perfectly wicks away perspiration.
Finished with small details like the raglan sleeves and leg openings with built-in zips, you can take it on and off without friction and be ready to go. to start whistling when the match starts.
The tracksuit is made of 100% polyester.
Would you rather pay for your tracksuit afterwards? Then read our post about tracksuits for sale with Afterpay.
training jersey
A warm training jersey like this one from nike is essential to keep warm to and from the field and before and after the game. It is necessary when your shirt or jacket offer insufficient protection on cold days.
This Nike KNVB Dry Academy 18 Drill Training Jersey is part of the official KNVB Referee Collection.
This collection is worn by all KNVB referees during Eredivisie matches. As an amateur referee, you can wear the same clothes as your big examples in the Eredivisie.
The special composition of the Nike Dry material ensures that you stay dry and comfortable, even after those long matches on a hot day.
Nike's patented technology ensures that sweat is transported to the surface of the jersey. Here on the surface it can then dry much faster.
This sweater also has a zipper and a stand-up collar. This allows you to decide for yourself how much you want to keep it open for air circulation or closed for maximum heat retention.
The special sleeves allow for plenty of freedom of movement and the shaped, longer back hem offers extra coverage.
In addition, it is designed to look sporty using the clean stripes on the shoulders of the jersey.
Also read: these are the best shin guards you can buy to protect yourself
