Australian Match Officials named on FIFA Panel of International Referees for 2021

Liam Watson

Football Australia has announced that 26 Australian Match Officials have been selected on the FIFA Panel of International Referees for 2021. 

Football Australia Chairman and Chair of Football Australia’s Referees Committee, Mr Chris Nikou, congratulated each Match Official for securing their positions and continuing their strong contributions to refereeing. 

“It is welcome news and a sign of the esteem in which Australian Match Officials are held globally that Australia has secured a strong cohort of Match Officials on the international panel, and congratulations must go to each individual for displaying the dedication and professionalism required to once again be recognised by FIFA at the highest level,” Nikou said. 

“Due to the global impacts of COVID-19, 2020 was a lean year for international football – however it is expected that international fixtures and tournaments will increase throughout 2021. 

“As that occurs, FIFA will have 26 expert Australian Match Officials ready and eager for appointments, each with the ability to implement the Laws of the Game to a world class standard.” 

Football Australia Chief Executive Officer, James Johnson, outlined how developing world class Australian Match Officials is key for the future of the sport.

“Match Officials are an important contributor to our game, particularly the on-field product, and are critical to football at all levels,” he said.

“Developing our Match Officials to a world class standard is a central focus of Principle Six of the XI Principles for the future of Australian football.

“In line with the measures proposed in Principle Six, Football Australia will continue to lead work to develop the pathways and opportunities available to Australian Match Officials, which will help service the grassroots and community game, our National Premier Leagues, as well as the Professional Leagues. Football Australia will also continue to appoint Australia’s top referees to the Professional Leagues.”

Five of Australia’s match officials – Kate Jacewicz, Casey Reibelt, Sarah Ho, Chris Beath, and Shaun Evans – have also been acknowledged by FIFA in the newly created role of Video Match Official (VMO). VMO’s are able to perform either Video Assistant Referee (VAR) or Assistant Video Assistant Referee (AVAR) roles at FIFA matches and tournaments where VAR is being implemented.  

Australian Match Officials on the FIFA Panel of International Referees 2021 as confirmed by Football Australia:

 

Name

Role

FIFA International Since

Kurt AMS

Referee

2019

Jonathan BARREIRO

Referee

2019

Chris BEATH

Referee

2011

Rebecca DURCAU

Referee

2017

Shaun EVANS

Referee

2017

Kate JACEWICZ

Referee

2011

Alexander KING

Referee

2020

Lara LEE

Referee

2019

Casey REIBELT

Referee

2014

Ashley BEECHAM

Assistant Referee

2013

Joanna CHARAKTIS

Assistant Referee

2019

Renae COGHILL

Assistant Referee

2015

Matthew CREAM

Assistant Referee

2000

Ryan GALLAGHER

Assistant Referee

2016

Owen GOLDRICK

Assistant Referee

2018

Lance GREENSHIELDS

Assistant Referee

2019

Sarah HO

Assistant Referee

2004

George LAKRINDIS

Assistant Referee

2016

Andrew LINDSAY

Assistant Referee

2019

Nathan MACDONALD

Assistant Referee

2012

Laura MOYA

Assistant Referee

2017

Anton SHCHETININ

Assistant Referee

2016

Andrew BEST

Futsal Referee

2017

Jonathon MOORE

Futsal Referee

2018

Ryan SHEPHEARD

Futsal Referee

2009

Darius TURNER

Futsal Referee

2013

*Match officials listed in bold also assigned to FIFA’s newly created Video Match Official (VMO) Panel.

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Football Australia Expands Mental Skills Program for Match Officials Amid Sustained Focus on Referee Retention

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Football Australia has confirmed a second national webinar for match officials, led by sports psychologist Dr Liam Slack, extending a referee development series introduced after strong engagement with an initial session on managing match-day pressure.

The upcoming session, themed “parking with purpose,” will focus on decision-making strategies designed to help referees process on-field calls and reset attention quickly across a match that can present hundreds of individual decisions. Dr Slack, who also consults with The Football Association and the AFC Referee Academy and previously spent over a decade as a performance psychologist with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited in England, brings substantial elite-level experience to a program open to officials at every level, from grassroots to professional.

The theme builds on work Dr Slack has already delivered within Australian officiating. He recently led a session with Football Australia’s National Referee Academy on the same concept, framing the ability to consciously park a decision and refocus on the next phase of play as a trainable skill rather than an innate trait, one that separates officials who reset quickly under pressure from those who don’t. He has also addressed more than 100 Football Australia elite match officials and staff on developing a stronger match-day mentality, an indication of how embedded this psychological framework has become across the officiating pathway rather than remaining a one-off intervention.

The expansion of the webinar series reflects a broader shift in how football administrators are approaching referee attrition. Rather than treating retention purely as a recruitment or pay problem, the program signals an institutional acknowledgment that the psychological demands of officiating, particularly the compounding pressure of split-second decisions under public scrutiny, are a material factor in whether officials remain in the game.

It rests alongside other measures adopted across Australian football in recent years, including visible identification programs for junior referees and structural reviews of referee departments at state federation level, all aimed at the same underlying issue: a shrinking pool of match officials relative to demand.

Football Australia has not detailed metrics for assessing the program’s impact on referee numbers, though the recurring engagement of an internationally credentialed specialist across multiple tiers of the officiating pathway suggests sustained institutional investment in the approach.

Football Victoria elevates fan enjoyment with Streets partnership

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Image credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock.com

Football Victoria (FV) revealed last week a new partnership with ice cream giants, Streets. The brand will become an exclusive ice cream partner for the next three years.

 

An iconic brand for joyful experiences

As a well-known and popular ice cream brand with people all around the nation, Streets will now look to support the fan experience in Victoria through its products.

It reflects FV’s commitment to delivering a family-friendly and memorable experience for spectators. Both on and off the pitch, the organisation is striving to elevate the experience for fans and families alike.

“Football Victoria is always looking for ways to elevate the experience at The Home of The Matildas, and this partnership does exactly that,” explained FV Executive Manager of Commercial and Facilities, Chris Speldewinde.

“It’s a fantastic fit for our community and we’re looking forward to what the next three years will bring.”

Furthermore, Senior Brand Manager at Streets, Ryan Katz, emphasised the brand’s role in community sport and in creating memories beyond the action on the pitch.

“Streets is proud to join Football Victoria as its exclusive ice cream partner,” Katz said.

“There’s nothing better than enjoying a great game with a classic ice cream in-hand, and we’re excited to be part of those moments across the state.”

 

Understanding community football

Community football is all about these moments. Sunny days, the family together, and a sweet treat in-hand while supporting a local team alongside friends and neighbours.

This is why a partnership between FV and Streets is particularly important.

Not for its commercial value, but for what it tells us about both parties’ understanding of what matters to fans. From young fans to experienced matchday-goers, everyone wants to find enjoyment while watching the game.

And while the 90 minutes of action is the focus, the experience of a local matchday is truly defined by interactions with fellow supporters and smaller – but no less significant – moments of happiness during the day.

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