The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and burnout in Iranian soccer super league referees. The method of the study is descriptive-correlational and the data was collected via questionnaires using field study procedure. The population of the study consisted of all 73 soccer super league referees in the 2010-2011 season. The sample size was equated with the population. From among the 73 questionnaires distributed to the referees, a number of 67 questionnaires (91.78%) were regarded as valid and analyzable. Emotional intelligence scale developed based on the Mayer and Salovey (1990) model of emotional intelligence and revised questionnaire of burnout developed based on the Maslach burnout inventory were used to examine emotional intelligence and burnout in the referees, respectively. Both descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics including Pearson correlation formula and regression analysis (both enter and stepwise methods) were used to analyze the data (p<0.05). The results showed that Iranian soccer super league referees had above average emotional intelligence and had low levels of refereeing burnout. The results also revealed a significant negative correlation between emotional intelligence and burnout in the referees (r = -0.35, p = 0.003). There were multiple relationships between the components of emotional intelligence and burnout in the super league referees so that 10% of burnout variance can be accounted for by emotional assessment and expression. Accordingly, it seems that referees with higher emotional intelligence suffer from less burnout. Thus, it is recommended that adequate training programs be provided for the referees to increase the emotional intelligence in them, which may help prevent referee burnout to some extent.
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