Refereeing

Nearly every game in Northern Ireland is covered by a referee.

From the top game in the Premier League to youth games in your local park football needs referees – would you be up to the challenge?

Have you ever stood at the side of a pitch and shouted at a referee? Have you ever thought you could do better yourself? Have you ever thought of the sacrifices that referee has made to not only be there on the day but all of the training, development, fitness work and commitment they have put in during that month alone?

Refereeing is a challenging but very rewarding pastime. Whether your ambition is to referee at the World Cup finals or officiate a local league cup final there is nothing like the buzz of getting 22 handshakes at the end of the game.

Of course this doesn’t always happen and some games can be a real test of character. That said, there are great support networks and always someone to help you learn from every game.

If you are interested in becoming a referee the module above will provide some insights.

At the end of the module you will get a score and the chance to register for one of the Irish FA's upcoming courses for referees.

Enjoy the challenge – the same challenge the association's 700+ referees take on every week.

If you would like further information  please email referees@irishfa.com.

The National Development Group is for referees who have been identified as having high potential to be promoted to the next level of football.

All referees who are part of the group attend national seminars, undergo  regular independent assessment and must pass a fitness test at the level of football they aspire to be promoted to.

Referees wishing to be part of this group have to be nominated by their local association and must complete an application form.

There are also referee centres of excellence across Northern Ireland.

These centres are for referees at Junior and Intermediate level who wish to develop. Sessions are held monthly and offer a great source of development, information and camaraderie within refereeing.

This section will give you all the resources you need to develop as a referee, from online exercises to information booklets.

Keep checking back during the season for updates.

Please find below the most recent appointments in the following competitions.

This section includes all the information and forms required for disciplinary reporting.

You must report all cautions and dismissals to the relevant authorities. This should be done by using the Summary Sheet for Cautions (link here) and DR2 form for dismissals (link here). All cautions for Senior, Intermediate, NIFL Reserve & Youth League should be sent to discipline@irishfa.com.

All other report forms should be forwarded to the relevant FA in your area (County Antrim, Mid Ulster, North West & Fermanagh & Western). If you are unsure of where to send your reports to please email referees@irishfa.com.