Stats
MLS referee stats 2025: full season
Full season: 526 matches, February 22, 2025 to December 6, 2025How we count
In the 2025 season, MLS referees showed 4.5 cards per match on average, 4.4 of them yellow (526 matches with cards, from February 22, 2025 to December 6, 2025).
Most cards: Rosendo Mendoza, 163 in 29 matches (5.6 per match); fewest: Lukasz Szpala, 49 in 14 matches (3.5 per match). The table lists 27 referees with at least 5 matches.
Most yellow cards per match among referees with 5+ matches: Ismir Pekmic, 5.4 (92 in 17 matches); the league average is 4.4.
A penalty was given in 21.4% of the league's matches (0.24 per match on average, all referees together).
Next matches in MLS: Friday, November 20 (2 matches)See them on the current season's page
- Cards per match in the league
- 4.5
- over 4.5 cards in 48.3% of matches
- Referees in the table
- 27
- with at least 5 matches
- Matches with a penalty
- 21.4%
- the whole league
- Most cards
- 5.6
- Rosendo Mendoza, 29 matches
Referees by cards per match
The referee's matches in this league that season: cards per match, the difference from the league average, yellow and red, and matches with over 4.5 cards. The name leads to the referee's profile.
| League average | 526 | 4.5 | – | 4.4 | 0.16 | 48% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Rosendo Mendoza | 29 | 5.6, +1.1 against the average | +24%, +24% against the average | 5.3 | 0.28 | 72% |
| 2Tim Ford | 10 | 5.6, +1.1 against the average | +23%, +23% against the average | 5.2 | 0.40 | 60% |
| 3Ismir Pekmic | 17 | 5.6, +1.0 against the average | +23%, +23% against the average | 5.4 | 0.18 | 59% |
| 4Lorenzo Hernandez | 14 | 5.2, +0.7 against the average | +15%, +15% against the average | 5.0 | 0.21 | 64% |
| 5Sergii Demianchuk | 10 | 5.1, +0.6 against the average | +12%, +12% against the average | 4.9 | 0.20 | 40% |
| 6Jon Freemon | 24 | 5.1, +0.5 against the average | +12%, +12% against the average | 5.0 | 0.08 | 54% |
| 7Ramy Touchan | 5 | 5.0, +0.5 against the average | +10%, +10% against the average | 5.0 | 0.00 | 60% |
| 8Victor Rivas | 24 | 4.8, +0.3 against the average | +6%, +6% against the average | 4.5 | 0.33 | 58% |
| 9Alexis Da Silva | 20 | 4.7, +0.2 against the average | +4%, +4% against the average | 4.7 | 0.00 | 55% |
| 10Sergiy Boyko | 24 | 4.6, +0.1 against the average | +2%, +2% against the average | 4.3 | 0.33 | 46% |
| 11Pierre-Luc Lauziere | 21 | 4.5, 0.0 against the average | 0%, 0% against the average | 4.4 | 0.14 | 52% |
| 12Ricardo Fierro | 16 | 4.5, 0.0 against the average | −1%, −1% against the average | 4.3 | 0.25 | 38% |
| 13Chris Penso | 23 | 4.5, −0.1 against the average | −1%, −1% against the average | 4.3 | 0.17 | 52% |
| 14Drew Fischer | 22 | 4.5, −0.1 against the average | −2%, −2% against the average | 4.5 | 0.00 | 50% |
| 15Rubiel Vazquez | 25 | 4.4, −0.1 against the average | −2%, −2% against the average | 4.3 | 0.12 | 44% |
| 16Tori Penso | 16 | 4.4, −0.2 against the average | −4%, −4% against the average | 4.3 | 0.13 | 50% |
| 17Joe Dickerson | 13 | 4.4, −0.2 against the average | −4%, −4% against the average | 4.2 | 0.15 | 46% |
| 18Ricardo Montero | 14 | 4.4, −0.2 against the average | −4%, −4% against the average | 4.3 | 0.07 | 50% |
| 19Filip Dujic | 26 | 4.4, −0.2 against the average | −4%, −4% against the average | 4.1 | 0.23 | 50% |
| 20Guido Gonzales Jr | 25 | 4.2, −0.3 against the average | −7%, −7% against the average | 4.1 | 0.12 | 44% |
| 21Malik Badawi | 17 | 4.1, −0.4 against the average | −9%, −9% against the average | 3.9 | 0.24 | 35% |
| 22Fotis Bazakos | 15 | 4.0, −0.5 against the average | −12%, −12% against the average | 3.9 | 0.13 | 40% |
| 23Jair Antonio Maruffo | 16 | 3.9, −0.6 against the average | −13%, −13% against the average | 3.8 | 0.13 | 25% |
| 24Armando Villarrea | 14 | 3.9, −0.7 against the average | −15%, −15% against the average | 3.7 | 0.14 | 43% |
| 25Allen Chapman | 25 | 3.8, −0.8 against the average | −17%, −17% against the average | 3.6 | 0.12 | 32% |
| 26Marcos de Oliveira | 20 | 3.7, −0.8 against the average | −19%, −19% against the average | 3.7 | 0.00 | 25% |
| 27Lukasz Szpala | 14 | 3.5, −1.0 against the average | −23%, −23% against the average | 3.5 | 0.00 | 29% |
With fewer matches
Referees with fewer than 5 matches in the league that season: a small sample, so they are not ranked.
- Elijio Arreguinsmall sample4.5 cards per match (18 in 4 matches), 4.3 yellow per match
Today's matches in the Referees module
Today's list across all leagues, with both teams' recent matches.
How we count
We count both teams' yellow and red cards in the referee's matches in this league that season, from the match statistics, else from the live record. A referee is ranked from 5 matches with cards. Penalties are given for the whole league only.
Frequently asked questions
- Which MLS referee showed the most cards in 2025?
- In the 2025 season: Rosendo Mendoza (5.6), Tim Ford (5.6), and Ismir Pekmic (5.6). Referees with at least 5 matches in the league count.
- Which MLS referee showed the most yellow cards in 2025?
- In the 2025 season: Ismir Pekmic (5.4), Rosendo Mendoza (5.3), and Tim Ford (5.2), against a league average of 4.4 per match. Referees with at least 5 matches in the league count.
- How many cards did MLS referees show on average in 2025?
- 4.5 per match in the 2025 season: 4.4 yellow and 0.16 red; 48.3% of matches had over 4.5 cards.
- How often was a penalty given in MLS matches in 2025?
- In 21.4% of the 2025 season's matches, 0.24 per match on average, all referees together.
Today's matches in the Referees module
Today's list across all leagues, with both teams' recent matches.