Every referee needs a wallet to hold his or her cards and game record. Here’s how to pick the best referee wallet.
What goes in a referee wallet?
Unlike referee shoes, soccer referee wallets are pretty much the same. On the inside, there’s a holder for a few sheets from your referee pad.
On the outside, you can slide in your yellow card and red card. Some wallets have a holder for your pencil.
One thing you won’t find is a place to secure your money. You’ll have to decide if your referee bag is safe or keep it in one of your other pockets.
Choosing a Referee Wallet
Almost all referee wallets are thin pieces of plastic. They’re not very durable by nature because the repeated opening and closing will eventually wear out the plastic and make your wallet fall apart at the seam.
That’s why many referees prefer to skip the wallet and use write on cards instead.
The most important factor is how it holds your yellow and red cards. Get the vertical holders that go nearly to the top of the wallet.
The side holders and low holders let your cards fall out too easily. When a player violates the FIFA rules, you don’t want to reach into an empty wallet. The low holders also let your cards get dirtied up more easily since more of the card sticks out.
After that, go with the best price.
Also, skip the leather wallets. They might last a little longer, but they’re heavier and hold in heat and rain.
Carrying Your Cards
Most referees don’t use the cards in their wallets during the game except at the lowest youth levels. If you need a quick yellow card or red card to keep control of the game, you don’t want to be fumbling in your wallet.
Keep separate cards in your pockets. The set in your wallet is for backup and to give you a firmer surface to write on.