Now that you’ve downloaded the N1 App, what’s next? Here is a collection of frequently asked questions to help you use the app to the fullest this season.
FAQs for Club Admin
Is using the app mandatory?
The N1 App is not mandatory for the Fall 2026 season, but its match day features – like, digital IDs and recording scores – will be mandatory for the Spring 2027 season. For now, in the fall season, we encourage you to get familiar with the app’s impressive array of features. That said, do not enter dummy information related to your games, as that data (yellow and red cards, for example) reports back to GotSport as official info.
How can we live stream our games?
Please refer to the N1 App user guides for a specific tutorial on how to live stream games from various devices. As of the kick off to the Fall 2026 season, watching live streams is free to users, but due to significant server costs, there may be live streaming subscription models in the future.
Does referee assigning change at all with this app?
No, assigning still happens the way you’ve been doing it. If your assigning is done in GotSport, assigned referees will already be attached to the match in the N1 App automatically. If you use a separate assigning platform, referees will have to scan the match QR code themselves to log in, since there’s no manual upload path into the N1 App for a referee crew.
Where can we get training resources to share with our coaches, managers, and referees?
You’re in the right place. The N1 website includes specific resources for the N1 App, like user guides and FAQs, including this page. Those associated with the National 1 League within the GotSport platform will also receive an onboarding/welcome email and follow-up communication directly.
Is there an API for pulling roster or match data programmatically (i.e. to RefSix)?
No.
Where can I get help about other issues in National 1 that aren’t specific to the N1 App?
We’ve compiled a lot of helpful information on the FAQs page for N1 that aren’t related to the app. You’ll find info and tips related to registration processes, coach professional development requirements and more. Additionally, GotSport has compiled help resources specific to the National 1 League for admins, coaches, parents and more.
FAQs for Team Admins & Coaches
Do coaches need to be on the team roster within the N1 App?
While not currently required, it is strongly recommended. As long as a coach holds a valid coaching passcard with US Club Soccer that matches the club they’re coaching, they may coach even if they aren’t listed on the respective N1 App roster. Please note that this is separate from US Club Soccer’s staff registration requirements that all coaches must be fully registered to coach.
Is a team “game reporter” required, and who can be one?
No. Having a “reporter” log goals and cards live during the match is encouraged but not mandatory. If no one reports the game live, the home team will simply enter the full game report themselves afterward (score and cards) rather than reviewing and correcting pre-entered data. The reporter role must be explicitly granted by a team administrator (coach or manager) in the N1 App; any parent can be assigned this access for a game, a season, or a set period, but they can’t start reporting on their own.
How does setting the game-day roster and lineup work, and can it be done in advance?
A manager or coach selects players from their team roster to build a game-day roster for each match. This generates the digital player ID cards that referees check at the field, and this will be mandatory in the spring season. You can build all of a season’s rosters in advance as soon as a schedule is published (and hold them unpublished until game day), but there’s no one-click way to automatically clone last week’s roster. Setting a lineup (starting 11 and formation) is easy to do. This is encouraged but not required.
How do in-app chats and game-change communications work with GotSport?
This is fully integrated both ways – a chat message sent in the N1 App appears in GotSport, and vice versa. It’s essentially a faster, push-notification-based mobile front end for the same GotSport messaging and game-change-request system you use today, not a separate tool.
How do club pass players get added for a game?
The same way as in previous seasons: club pass (CP) players must first be added to the event roster in GotSport. Coaches/managers can reference this help article for instructions, and admins/registrars can reference this help article for instructions. Once added in GotSport, club pass players become available to select onto that team’s game-day roster inside the N1 App. You cannot add a club pass player directly inside the app itself.
What if there’s no cell signal or the app isn’t working at a field? Can we still use paper backups?
Deep breath 🙂 Record scores, cards and substitutions on paper and report them after the final whistle. Nothing is lost by reporting late, and records can be corrected afterward. Don’t delay the game. We’d encourage you to take screenshots of your team’s player and staff passes ahead of time for situations like these.
How will suspensions (for players or coaches) show up, and who verifies they were served?
A suspended player’s or coach’s digital pass is automatically disabled for as long as the suspension applies, and their name shows in grey on the roster with a note that they are suspended. There’s no separate sign-off form to track this and no manual referee verification step; it’s enforced automatically as soon as suspended games are entered into the system.
What happens if a team doesn’t do any in-app reporting during the match?
Nothing is lost — if no reporter enters events live, the home team can fill in the post-game report themselves (goals, cards, final score) or just enter the final score, rather than reviewing pre-entered data. Live reporting is encouraged mainly because it saves the post-game reporter time and gives your team’s followers real-time updates.
How are forfeits logged?
Check with your N1 district operator. Different operators may have different scorelines, and they’ll also want to confirm the game is a forfeit vs. no contest.
Do we still need a coach’s signature or sign-off to confirm the final score?
No, there’s no game card to sign when the N1 App is used, but each team will be presented with the Referee Match Report, which is the referee’s notes on the important moments of the game (goals and discipline). The score becomes official once the home team submits the final score along with a picture of the Referee Match Report. If a score is wrong, it’s corrected through the N1 district operator (typically verified with the referee and both coaches) rather than through a signature process.
Where can I get help about other issues in National 1 that aren’t specific to the N1 App?
We’ve compiled a lot of helpful information on the FAQs page for N1 that aren’t related to the app. You’ll find info and tips related to registration processes, coach professional development requirements and more. Additionally, GotSport has compiled help resources specific to the National 1 League for admins, coaches, parents and more.
FAQs for Referees
How do red cards and suspensions work now?
For those using the app in the Fall 2026 season, red cards are reported directly in the N1 App’s post-game report by the referee. Otherwise, you’ll continue filling out the separate GotSport red card form until the N1 App is mandatory for the Spring 2027 season. Select the offense category, which determines the suspension range, then add a description; the discipline committee within your N1 district uses that description to set the exact length. Once entered, the suspended player or coach’s digital pass is automatically disabled for the length of the suspension; no sign-off forms or manual verification needed. Referees should still separately file a Referee Match Report for things outside red cards, like: match abandonment, spectator issues, discriminatory conduct, serious injury, or other incidents your N1 district operator has indicated they should know about.
What if a player arrives late or is checked in as absent but shows up at halftime?
The eligibility rules are unchanged. A late-arriving player can enter the match, as long as the player has a valid US Club Soccer passcard. You don’t need your own phone for this: the coach or manager can show you the player’s pass on their device to check them in, even mid-half. A player initially marked absent can be updated later if they show up.
What happens if a referee doesn’t have a smartphone, or their phone dies/goes missing?
Any player or coach check-in can be done on the coach’s or manager’s phone by the referee instead of the referee’s own device. There is no requirement for a referee to carry a personal smartphone during the match.
What’s the post-game reporting workflow, and can it be done later that night?
Following the match, the referee presents their match report to both teams so they can take a photo. This report is where the referee records all important match information during the game, including goals and any discipline. If there are no red cards issued, then the referee’s job is done, as the home team will report the score. If there is a red card in a match, then the referee can open the game from your N1 App feed (or via the emailed web link) and go to post-game event reporting. If a team reporter already logged cards during the match, review and correct that information; if not, enter any cards yourself. The only mandatory post-game reporting for referees is entering any red cards. This can absolutely be completed later that evening rather than immediately after the whistle. Referees are encouraged to install the N1 App on their phone vs. the web version, so completed games stay in their feed for later editing.
Do all three officials (center and both ARs) need to scan the QR code and do this?
No, this is optional and flexible. It can be done by one official, two, or none at all if nobody has a smartphone available (in which case a coach or manager’s phone can be used). Any official who scans gets access to check-in and reporting for that match and will receive an email link to go back and edit later.
Does the app integrate with RefSix, Assignr, or referee smartwatches?
Not at this time. Referee assigning itself still happens entirely through your existing assigning process.
Do referees need to keep their phone on them during the match?
No. Referees only need the app (or a coach/manager’s phone) at check-in and again after the match to finalize any cards. There is no requirement to hold or check a phone during play. Center referees can continue tracking goals and cards on paper as they have been and provide that report to both teams after the match.
How does check-in and reporting work if the field has poor or no cell signal?
If connectivity is a known issue at a venue, teams should consider backup options, like screenshots or printed copies. These are acceptable for verification. Play the match using whatever proof of valid US Club Soccer passcards are available, note that the game is under protest if the digital check couldn’t be completed, and the referee should submit a Referee Match Report. You should check with your N1 district operator for any additional procedures.
How does the QR code check-in work?
- The coach or manager displays a QR code from their app
- The referee scans it, which assigns that referee to the match within the N1 App.
- If the referee already has the N1 App and is logged in, scanning takes them straight to the match details.
- If they don’t have the N1 App, scanning opens a simple web page asking only for name and email before giving access to the digital passes. No GotSport account is required to do this, and it doesn’t create one. All three officials (center and both ARs) can scan the same code if each wants to check in a team or file information themselves. It’s also acceptable if only one person handles it.
What if the referee (or a player) is a minor? Are there special concerns?
Liability considerations are unchanged with this process. Remember that N1 App content is AI-moderated and user-controlled. Minor referees use the same QR-code check-in and reporting flow as any referee, including using a coach or manager’s phone if needed. No referee information is shared publicly through the app.
How are jersey numbers corrected during check-in?
Jersey number corrections are made on the roster screen, not during the digital ID check itself. A referee (or the team’s manager/coach) opens the team roster, selects the player, and updates their number, which is three taps in the N1 App. This then updates the player’s number in the player cards. Managers are asked to address this before the game as part of setting the game-day roster.
Why doesn’t the referee’s name appear in the game report or game facts?
This is intentional to protect referee identity, especially for youth officials, from public view. The N1 district operator still knows who was assigned to every match, because scanning the QR code logs that, so referees can always be followed up with directly if there’s a question or dispute.
Does the N1 App track yellow cards?
Yellow cards can be logged and will show in the game feed. Check with your N1 district operator if this is mandatory.
How do I record an own goal?
When logging a goal, there’s a goal type option where you can select “own goal” instead of entering a scorer for the attacking team.
Should the center referee still keep personal notes during the match?
Yes, that is encouraged. The referee is the authoritative witness on the field, so keeping your own notes (goals, cards, times) protects you if a team’s in-app reporting differs from what actually happened. The referee’s report is what governs and overrides any potential discrepancies. Referees, as well as home and away teams, should take a photo of the Referee Match Report for their records.
Privacy is a Priority
The N1 App has built-in safety features, like AI monitoring, for clubs, teams and individuals. Additionally, clubs, teams and parents have access to privacy controls, including:
- Teams can disable pictures and videos for their games.
- Parents can enable child settings, like hiding any photos and names of their children.
- All content is moderated for safety, and can be removed at any time by administrators.
- There are reporting mechanisms for content.
Sponsorship Possibilities
The N1 App opens up potential revenue streams for clubs and teams to sell ad space on their customizable media sites. Sponsorship assistance and instructions will be provided and linked here soon. By introducing sponsorship opportunities directly to clubs and teams, the National 1 League aims to provide ways for clubs and teams to earn revenue and, in turn, subsidize costs for participants.
