Referees perform a vital role in the game, and with the growth in the popularity of football, particularly for women and children, the demand for match officials is increasing.
The Football Association estimates that in some areas of the country, 20 per cent of games are played without a qualified match official. Our goal is to recruit 10,000 referees a year to ensure that, in future, every game has a qualified official who is receiving regular training and support from an FA mentor programme and helpline.
The first stage involved in becoming a referee is to register with your local County Football Association and the second stage is to attend a basic Referees Course.