Best of the Rest
MLS and refs reach 7-yr deal:
Major League Soccer and its referees announced a seven-year labor contract Tuesday, ending a 37-day lockout that led to the use of replacement officials.
Match officials will average a 28.36% increase this year, followed by hikes of 3% in 2025, 6% in 2026, 3% each in 2027 and 2029, and 4% apiece in 2029 and 2030, according to Peter Manikowski, president of the Professional Soccer Referees Association. He said a top-scale referee will earn a minimum $200,000 starting in 2028.
The Professional Referee Organization, which supplies match officials to MLS, the NWSL and some lowertier leagues, locked out officials on Feb. 18, three days ahead of the MLS opener, after the union rejected a tentative five-year deal to replace the expired deal.
PRO and the union, which has about 260 members, said they had ratified an agreement reached last week that expires at 11:59 p.m. EST on Jan. 31, 2031.
Replacement officials were used in the first 69 games over the opening five weeks of this season, drawing some criticism.
“Human beings make individual mistakes, but it’s the avoidance of mistakes and it’s the situational awareness that make our officials the most experienced and the best ones in North America, in some cases in the world,” Manikowski said. “It’s not what happens on an individual call, but what leads up to that which is, I think a big change that folks will see on the field of play this coming weekend.”
PRO did not have any comment beyond a prepared statement.
MLS also used replacement officials for the first two weeks of its 2014 season before reaching a fiveyear contract after the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service entered talks. (AP)
John Stones injured:
John Stones was substituted early after sustaining a suspected adductor injury in England’s friendly match with Belgium on Tuesday.
The Manchester City defender was replaced by Joe Gomez after 10 minutes at Wembley Stadium.
Stones signaled that he was in discomfort after kicking the ball in the opening minutes, which prompted England to quickly prepare Gomez to come on.
“Of course we’re disappointed if he’s got a problem. It looks like it’s in the adductor area,” England manager Gareth Southgate said. “He came in on the back of not playing for two weeks, so it’s not about overload. But I hate sending players back to their clubs injured.”
The game ended in a 2-2 draw after Jude Bellingham’s equalizer in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Youri Tielemans had scored either side of an Ivan Toney penalty in the first half.
Stones is the latest injury concern for Southgate and City boss Pep Guardiola after Kyle Walker hurt his hamstring in Saturday’s game against Brazil.. (AP)