2025-26 Officials and Rules Updates
The US Quadball Officials and Rules Teams have updated the officials tests and finalized the rulebook for the upcoming season. The officials team has also introduced several policy updates.
US Quadball Rulebook 2025
The USQ rulebook for the 2025-26 season is live. No major changes have been made to the rulebook, just minor copy edits and readability adjustments.
USQ Officials Written Tests
USQ assistant referee, seeker referee/flag runner, and lead assistant referee tests are now available.
Team Officials Requirements
For the 2025-26 season, only club teams will be required to have a certified head referee. Full requirements are listed below:
1 Head Referee (club only)
2 Lead Assistant Referees
1 Seeker Referee
2 Assistant Referees
1 Flag Runner
The Officials Team understands that getting a head referee certified is not an insignificant burden for teams. To that end, the team will be actively monitoring field test requests, which you can request a field test here. We will be working closely with the USQ Events Department to ensure that opportunities for field testing are available for all teams. Please email referees@usquadball.org with any questions, concerns, or for help getting a field test.
Officials Incentives
While USQ will not be requiring college teams to have a certified head referee, we strongly encourage all teams to work towards having one. To help with this, USQ will be offering a $20 discount on next season’s membership registration to all college players that take and pass a field test.
Starting with the 2025-26 season, USQ is revising the flag runner payment requirements and the flag runner certification/tier system. Previously, flag runners were only required to pass the seeker referee written test to be certified and paid. Starting this season, runners that pass the written test will receive Tier 4 and USQ will not require tournament directors to pay Tier 4 flag runners. To receive a higher tier, flag runners must send footage of them flag running to referees@usquadball.org. An officials coordinator will reply to the email assigning them a tier between 1 and 4. Tournament directors must pay Tier 1, 2, and 3 flag runners $10 per official USQ match.
As a reminder for tournament directors, USQ only sets minimum officials payments. Higher pay may help tournament directors find better quality officials or get them to travel for your event.
Video Field Testing
Video field testing for head referees is now an option. If you are currently a certified head referee, you can recertify or attempt to get a higher tier via video. Officials will still be required to submit a field test request prior to their test. The USQ Officials Team will work with the tournament director and candidate to decide which game will be their field test prior to the tournament and ensure that the video footage meets minimum requirements. After footage is submitted, candidates will receive the same feedback they would if they had an in-person proctor at the event. The USQ officials team acknowledges feedback was, at times, slow to be issued last season and is dedicated to improving responsiveness this year.
Do Your Part
Your feedback is important to us so we can make adjustments where necessary. Do not hesitate to contact USQ with questions, comments, thoughts, or ideas at referees@usquadball.org.
Quadball is your sport, and you always have the opportunity to positively impact the direction it grows. If you’re interested in joining the USQ Gameplay Department and helping to guide the sport’s rules or set referee policies, or have interest in helping USQ in another department, you can learn more about opportunities available here.
