Skip to main content

Be Part of the Journey


Give something back to the game you love or remain involved in the game after injury or retirement. Play a vital role in ensuring players enjoy the game and increase participation in the sport. Make new and lasting friends whilst keeping fit and healthy. Refereeing can be a potential career for those who wish to progress to the top.

To become a referee there are certain qualifications and requirements you’ll need to complete first. This being at least 14 years old, completing online Laws of the Game module and safeguarding qualification.

To get started, enrol on a course with your local County Football Association.

Your Journey as a Referee

What does the course entail?

The FA Referee Course is designed to equip new referees with the key skills and knowledge they will need to be able to referee grassroots football matches safely and effectively. It is for people aged 14 and over who want to referee mini soccer, 9 v 9 and/or 11 v 11 football. The course comprises online learning on the Laws of the Game and face to face training. You must complete the online learning before attending the face to face training. You will also need to complete online safeguarding training before attending the face to face training.

The online learning has five sections (modules) and will take approximately 90 minutes to complete. There are lots of videos to demonstrate how the Laws should be applied, activities to help reinforce the important points and, at the end of each module, there are some questions to test what you’ve learned.  

The online learning can be accessed at https://falearning.thefa.com/course/view.php?id=1804  

If you are under the age of 16, you might find the information at the refereeing help centre useful when logging in.

Please do ensure that you are logged in on your FAN so as to avoid the learning being recorded on someone else’s FAN. You can check this via My Account, or at the top of The FA Guide to the Laws of the Game course page where the name of the person logged in is displayed. Should you be logged in as someone else, please log out and log back in using the email address on your FAN and associated password. If you need any support, please contact us before starting the course.

Module 1 – Before the Match


This module covers the referee’s pre-match responsibilities and includes ensuring players’ kit is safe, how to carry out the coin toss and what a referee needs to take to a match with them.

Module 2 – Signals and Communication

This module contains short video clips (GIFs) which show every signal the referee and assistant referee might give during a match.

Module 3 – ‘Getting it Right’

This module deals with foul challenges, violent conduct, handball, unsporting behaviour, DOGSO offences and advantage. It uses video clips from football at different levels to show how the referee should manage common scenarios.

Module 4 – Offside

This module also uses video clips, this time to demonstrate what is and isn’t offside and how the referee should manage offside offences. The clips, like those used in the ‘Getting it Right’ module, are voiced over to explain the decisions the referees make.

Module 5 – Managing Restarts and Set-Pieces


This module covers restarts and set-pieces, including goal kicks, corner kicks, throw-ins, free kicks and penalty kicks. It uses both video and illustrations to clarify what players must do at each restart and set-piece and explains what the referee should do if players don’t comply with the Law.
 

There is 11 hours of face to face training (normally one evening, followed by a full day), which mixes training room work with practical activity on a pitch. Key messages from the online learning are reinforced throughout. The training room work includes:

• Fun, interactive quizzes
• How to establish rapport and build relationships with players and coaches
• Recognising and dealing with foul challenges and handball
• Managing offside
• Dealing with inappropriate behaviour 
• Managing players 

On the pitch, you will have the opportunity to turn your knowledge into skills through refereeing game based scenarios. You will practise:

• Communicating decisions
• Cautioning and sending off techniques
• Managing the kick off, free kicks, penalty kicks, corner kicks and throw-ins 
• Positioning in open play and at restarts
• Being an assistant referee

To qualify as a referee, you must also referee five games after you have attended the face to face training. You will then receive a certificate and an FA Referee badge.

You be supported through those five games by your County Football Association (CFA). As you continue your refereeing career, you will then be able to access further training opportunities, both online and face to face.

PGMOL


The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) is the organisation responsible for managing and training professional match officials in the top tier competitions in England, from the Premier League to National League, Barclays Womens Super League and Championship.

Referee Recognition Awards 2023

The Referee Recognition Awards 2023

Nominate a referee who’s impressed you this season, and they could carry home one of 12 national awards in the first ever national Referee Recognition Awards!


NOMINATE HERE
Referee Sam Allison leads his team out

Rules & Regulations

Stay Informed, Follow the Rules: Essential for a safe and fair game for all players.


Contact your local CFA
Referee Strategy image

FA Refereeing Strategy: 2023-26

The FA has launched an ambitious new strategy for grassroots refereeing in England, providing a clear direction for the future of officiating over the next three years and beyond.


FIND OUT MORE HERE

Get Started as a Referee - Find a Course

To get started on your journey to be a referee, select your local County Football Association for the list below to view course availability.

DURHAM FA
Website: www.durhamfa.com
Email: info@durhamfa.com

EAST RIDING FA
Website: www.eastridingfa.com
Email: info@eastridingfa.com

NORTH RIDING FA
Website: www.northridingfa.com
Email: support@northridingfa.com

NORTHUMBERLAND FA
Website: www.northumberlandfa.com
Email: info@northumberlandfa.com

WESTMORLAND FA
Website: www.westmorlandfa.com
Email: info@westmorlandfa.com

WEST RIDING FA
Website: www.westridingfa.com
Email: info@westridingfa.com

CUMBERLAND FA
Website: www.cumberlandfa.com
Email: info@cumberlandfa.com

CHESHIRE FA
Website: www.cheshirefa.com
Email: info@cheshirefa.com

LANCASHIRE FA
Website: www.lancashirefa.com
Email: info@lancashirefa.com

LIVERPOOL FA
Website: www.liverpoolfa.com
Email: Daniel.green@liverpoolfa.com

MANCHESTER FA
Website: www.manchesterfa.com
Email: info@manchesterfa.com

BEDFORDSHIRE FA
Website: www.bedfordshirefa.com
Email: info@bedfordshirefa.com

BIRMINGHAM FA
Website: www.birminghamfa.com
Email: support@birminghamfa.com

CAMBRIDGESHIRE FA
Website: www.cambridgeshirefa.com
Email: info@cambridgeshirefa.com

DERBYSHIRE FA
Website: www.derbyshirefa.com
Email: info@derbyshirefa.com

ESSEX FA
Website: www.essexfa.com
Email: info@essexfa.com

HERTFORDSHIRE FA
Website: www.hertfordshirefa.com
Email: contactus@hertfordshirefa.com

HUNTINGDONSHIRE FA
Website: www.huntsfa.com
Email: info@huntsfa.com

LEICESTERSHIRE & RUTLAND FA
Website: www.leicestershirefa.com
Email: info@leicestershirefa.com

LINCOLNSHIRE FA
Website: www.lincolnshirefa.com
Email: info@lincolnshirefa.com

LONDON FA
Website: www.londonfa.com
Email: info@londonfa.com

MIDDLESEX FA
Website: www.middlesexfa.com
Email: info@middlesexfa.com

NORFOLK FA
Website: www.norfolkfa.com
Email: info@norfolkfa.com

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE FA
Website: www.northamptonshirefa.com
Email: info@northantsfa.com

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE FA
Website: www.nottinghamshirefa.com
Email: info@nottinghamshirefa.com

RAF FA

Website: www.royalairforcefa.com
Email: info@royalairforcefa.com

ROYAL NAVY FA
Website: www.royalnavyfa.com
Email: info@navyfa.com

SHEFFIELD & HALLAMSHIRE FA
Website: www.sheffieldfa.com
Email: info@sheffieldfa.com

SHROPSHIRE FA
Website: www.shropshirefa.com
Email: info@shropshirefa.com

STAFFORDSHIRE FA
Website: www.staffordshirefa.com
Email: info@staffordshirefa.com

SUFFOLK FA
Website: www.suffolkfa.com
Email: info@suffolkfa.com

WORCESTERSHIRE FA
Website: www.worcestershirefa.com
Email: info@worcestershirefa.com

ARMY FA
Website: www.armyfa.com
Email: info@armyfa.com
 
AMATEUR FOOTBALL ALLIANCE
Website: www.amateur-fa.com
 
BERKS & BUCKS FA
Website: www.berks-bucksfa.com
Email: info@berks-bucksfa.com
 
HAMPSHIRE FA
Website: www.hampshirefa.com
Email: info@hampshirefa.com

KENT FA
Website: www.kentfa.com
Email: info@kentfa.com

OXFORDSHIRE FA
Website: www.oxfordshirefa.com
Email: info@oxfordshirefa.com

SURREY FA
Website: www.surreyfa.com
Email: info@surreyfa.com

SUSSEX FA
Website: www.sussexfa.com
Email: info@sussexfa.com

CORNWALL FA
Website: www.cornwallfa.com
Email: info@cornwallfa.com

DEVON FA
Website: www.devonfa.com
Email: info@devonfa.com

DORSET FA
Website: www.dorsetfa.com
Email: support@dorsetfa.com

GLOUCESTERSHIRE FA
Website: www.gloucestershirefa.com
Email: info@gloucestershirefa.com

GUERNSEY FA
Website: www.guernseyfa.com
Email: admin@guernseyfa.com

HEREFORDSHIRE FA
Website: www.herefordshirefa.com
Email: info@herefordshirefa.com

ISLE OF MAN FA
Website: www.isleofmanfa.com

JERSEY FA
Website: www.jerseyfa.com
Email: info@jerseyfa.com

SOMERSET FA
Website: www.somersetfa.com
Email: info@somersetfa.com

WILTSHIRE FA
Website: www.wiltshirefa.com
Email: info@wiltshirefa.com
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Anyone over the age of 14 complete the course, but the game doesn't just need young referees - plenty of players who are in the twilight of their football years have also enrolled on one of our courses to continue their involvement in the game... it’s never too late! You must first complete the online laws of the game module and safeguarding qualification. Take a look at your local County FA website which will help you.

We are here to support you be the best referee you can be. Take a look at the Referee progression pathway and womens game pathway videos which will explain how you can progress.

Formed in 2001 to improve refereeing standards, the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Official Ltd ) group officiate across all the Premier League, English Football League (EFL), Barclays Womens Super League, Barclays Women’s Championship and Football Association (FA) Competitions. You can find more about the PGMOL by clicking here - https://www.premierleague.com/referees 

A referee enforces the laws of the game and to ensure the safety of the players. Other match officials (two assistant referees plus fourth officials and VARS) may be appointed to matches.

They will assist the referee in controlling the match in accordance with the Laws of the Game but the final decision will always be taken by the referee.

At certain points in the referee pyramid a referee may choose to specialise as a referee or assistant referee only.

IFAB (international Football association Board) are the law makers of football, we would recommend downloading the IFAB app to keep up to date.