Why should I become a referee?
If you love football, what better way to be involved than by having the best seat in the house - in the middle of the field?

Referees start out for a number of reasons - it may be that you're in your teens and looking for a part-time job. If so, refereeing generally pays at least as well as a casual job in retail or fast food, and you get to run around in the sun engaging in sport rather than stand over a deep-fryer.

Alternatively you may have a child who is playing and want to help out with referee numbers - virtually every region is short of officials. Lastly there are those who enjoy the challenge and want to be involved in football, to see how far they can make it! As an Australian referee, you could find yourself on the A-League, flying to places like India and Malaysia for the Asian Football Confederation, or anywhere else in the world doing games for FIFA like the World Cup!

How old do I have to be?
In most areas the minimum age is 13 or 14 - you will need to inquire with your local referees organisation to find out. Some areas run special refereeing programs for small children's football, for which referees may also be younger.

How do I become a football referee?
The pathway to becoming a referee is essentially the same around Australia. You start by contacting your local referees organisation, who will let you know when they're running their next Referees Entrance course (also known as an Entrance Course).

This course will usually be run over two or three days and covers the Laws of Football. You will spend some time covering practical competencies like field positioning and signals, as well as completing a short examination on the Laws. Upon passing you will be certified as a Level 4 Referee.

More detail on the levels of certification can be found in the Australian Officiating Development Schedule, which is accredited by the Australian Sports Commission.

Start by finding your local organisation or state coach on the Contacts page.

How do I become a futsal referee?
Becoming a futsal referee is essentially the same as football, involving an entrance course with your local organisation. We will be adding more information about this shortly, so stay tuned.