New FA Referee Course dates have been announced for people aged 14 and over who want to referee mini soccer, 9 v 9 and/or 11 v 11 football.

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. 

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.

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 all-important dates are below:

London Road Pavilion, Louth 

Thursday 11th January 2024: 6pm – 9pm
Sunday 14th January 2024: 9am – 5pm

Book your place here

Zeeco Stadium, Stamford

Thursday 25th January 2024: 6pm – 9pm
Sunday 28th January 2024: 9am – 5pm

Book your place here 

You will need to attend both face-to-face training sessions.

There is a one-time charge for the course of £110.

Course Content

Online Learning

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 HERE 

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

Module 1 – Before the Match
Module 2 – Signals and Communication
Module 3 – ‘Getting it Right’
Module 4 – Offside
Module 5 – Managing Restarts and Set-Pieces

Face to Face Training

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 practice:

• 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

Qualifying as a 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.