The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) is launching its own referee training center, which will begin operations in 2026 at the Moscow State University of Sports and Tourism (MSUST). The agreement was signed by KHL President Alexei Morozov and university rector Natalia Masyagina, reports infohub.kz.
Under the agreement, starting in 2026, a specialized center will operate at the university to train referees for KHL matches, including games involving Kazakhstan's club Barys. Applications will be accepted from August 15 to September 15, 2026. Candidates will undergo tests in general physical and ice conditioning, as well as a knowledge check of hockey rules. Training will be conducted in two groups: one for beginners with no officiating experience, and another for those with at least one season of refereeing experience. The course starts on September 15, with up to 50 students who will eventually officiate KHL games.
The curriculum includes theoretical and practical sessions, lectures from refereeing officials, including KHL Chief Referee Alexei Anisimov, Chairman of the League's Referee Expert Committee and former IIHF President Rene Fasel, as well as current KHL referees. Training will run from September 2026 to April 2027. In December, students will take interim tests, and in April, a final assessment. The most distinguished students will have opportunities for career advancement.
Specifically, ten graduates from the first group (no officiating experience) will be allowed to officiate matches of sports schools under the Moscow Hockey Federation, i.e., youth competitions. Meanwhile, the four best students from the second group (with officiating experience) will be invited to the summer training camps for referees of the Junior Hockey League (MHL), with prospects of working in the MHL, then the Supreme Hockey League (VHL), and finally the KHL.
"Referee training is a crucial task, and we are confident that partnership with the Moscow university will help solve it," said the KHL president. "At this stage, we need to cultivate referees ourselves, starting from the beginning of their careers, to ensure high-quality training. The Referee Training Center is a project under the League's auspices, through which we aim to continuously prepare refereeing personnel for the KHL and MHL with the proper level of knowledge and skills."
"For our university, signing the agreement with the KHL is an important step in developing practice-oriented education and training sought-after specialists for national sports," said Masyagina in turn. "Our university trains future coaches, specialists in physical education and sports, and creates conditions for the professional development of student hockey players. Cooperation with the KHL and the Moscow Hockey Federation will expand opportunities for students, give them access to expert practice, and build new competencies in sports officiating," she concluded.