Australian referee Jarred Gillett to officiate in Premier League

Former A-League referee Jarred Gillett will be officiating in Watford's home fixture against West Ham this weekend (Photo: Hyundai A-League)

32 year old Australian referee Jarred Gillett is set to officiate in a Premier League fixture this upcoming weekend.

Gillett will be the lead Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the clash between Watford and West Ham United at Vicarage Road.

This is a big step up for Gillett, but one that is richly deserved.

Gillett is very familiar with the technology, having used it since 2017 in A-League fixtures.

With the A-League being the first domestic football league to utilise the VAR in that same year, Gillett is one of the most experienced users of the controversial technology.

Gillett has also officiated in two matches in England’s second division this season. He is to officiate another one at the weekend between recently relegated Premier League sides Huddersfield Town and Cardiff City, as well as his top flight duties.

It is a great opportunity for Gillett, but some may feel he is entering the lion’s den.

VAR has been heavily criticised ever since it was brought into the Premier League, with many players and coaches feeling that it hinders the sport in various ways.

Wolverhampton Wanderers coach Nuno Espirito Santo has gone on record saying that VAR is taking the spirit of the game away from fans.

Most recently, Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus saw his winning goal against Tottenham Hotspur disallowed by VAR following a handball from City defender Aymeric Laporte.

The contact was very minor and definitely not deliberate, with many feeling that the handball was not enough to disallow the goal.

The City talisman then confronted the referees post match, expressing his and inadvertently many members of the public’s frustrations with the decision.

We wish Jarred all the best in his Premier League debut this weekend.

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IMG takes commercial lead on inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup

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Image Credit: Vietnam Football Federation

IMG has been appointed to lead the global commercialisation of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, giving the new Southeast Asian national-team competition an established international sports business partner ahead of its first edition.

Under the strategic partnership, IMG will manage worldwide media and sponsorship rights sales while also overseeing broadcast production for the tournament, which takes place from 24 September to 5 October across Indonesia and Hong Kong, China.

The inaugural competition will feature 14 national teams, including all 11 ASEAN members alongside guest nations, with matches split between two divisions. Division 2 fixtures will be played in Jakarta and Badung, while Division 2 matches will be played in Hong Kong.

The agency’s role will include selling sponsorship and media inventory internationally while helping establish the broadcast infrastructure required to present the tournament to audiences outside Southeast Asia.

The partnership builds on IMG’s existing strategic relationship with PT Garuda Sepak Bola Indonesia, which has been working with the Football Association of Indonesia since 2025 on areas including commercial strategy, media rights, production and digital development.

For FIFA, the tournament creates another international football property in a region with a large and increasingly connected football audience.

For IMG, it adds another major regional property to a football portfolio that already includes competitions and organisations across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa.

The immediate challenge will be turning the inaugural tournament into a sustainable commercial property capable of attracting broadcasters and sponsors beyond its first edition.

If successful, the FIFA ASEAN Cup could provide Southeast Asian national teams with a recurring commercial platform while giving IMG another foothold in one of football’s developing markets.

GIS Sydney continues to connect students with Australia’s sports industry

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Image Credits: Global Institute of Sport

Following the launch of its Sydney campus in 2025, the Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is continuing to establish itself in the nation’s sports industry. A leading provider of degrees and executive education in sport, GIS provides students the chance to study at two of Australia’s biggest sporting venues: Allianz Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Programs such as Sports Analytics and International Sports Business are delivered in collaboration with the University of Newcastle, and feature the chance for students to gain exclusive access to the sports industry.

More than 50 guest speakers have shared their experience with students studying at GIS Sydney, representing organisations like FIFA, Red Bull, Cricket Australia, and the AFL. While learning about the regional and national sports industry in the classroom, students have also had the chance to gain an international perspective through GIS’ signature Global Sports Summits, which have given Sydney students access to iconic sporting venues around the world from London to Miami.

Outside of the iconic venues students can call their classrooms, the organisation prioritises the real, industry placements needed to put theory into practice by providing each student with 140 hours of relevant work experience throughout their studies. Included in this are several sporting organisations who are keen to welcome GIS students on board, including the Professional Football Scouts Association (PFSA), Football Coaches Australia, and Basketball NSW.

GIS also has a partnership with popular network and app Yakka Sport to connect students with paid employment opportunities while they study.

Behind these advancements at the GIS Sydney campus is an Industry Advisory Board which features a host of experienced figures from the world of sport. Included in the Asia-Pacific branch is Chair James Rosengarten, GM of the Melbourne Renegades; Kevin Jang, Managing Director of CAA Stellar Korea; and Brad Lloyd, GM of the Carlton Football Club.

Since launching, GIS’ Sydney campus has ultimately combined its locations and industry connections to provide the next generation of sports professionals with the knowledge, network, and confidence to tackle the rapidly evolving sports industry.

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