FFA Referees boss Ben Wilson resigns

Liam Watson

After 7 years as the FFA Director of Referees, Ben Wilson has resigned from his position to pursue a new opportunity outside of the game in Canberra.

Wilson has been the catalyst for refereeing changes that have helped enhance officials in Hyundai A-League, Westfield W-League and overall in Australia.

He helped to bring in full-time A-League referees, while it became the first league in the world to have Video Assistant Referees (VAR) integrated into the competition.

Another important step was the introduction of yellow and red cards being able to be shown to team officials in order to address the levels of respect needed towards referees,

Wilson has also contributed to the mentoring of young referees who could go on to be appointed at the higher level of A-League, W-League and major FIFA and AFC tournaments.

Wilson had begun officiating at the age of 15, with his first professional match coming in the National Soccer League (NSL) in 1996 as an assistant referee.

His career highlights show the great contribution he has made to the refereeing across his career:

  • FIFA Assistant Referee from 2000 to 2011
  • Officiated in over 200 NSL and Hyundai A-League matches, including five A-League Grand Finals.
  • Involved in FIFA & AFC tournaments including the 2006 FIFA World Cup, 2011 AFC Asian Cup and 2009 AFC Champions League Final.

Wilson will leave the FFA at the end of August, with a new Director of Referees set to be announced soon.

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Australian referee strike ends ahead of new A-League season

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Image Credits: Shutterstock

Australia’s referee crisis is over as Football Australia (FA), the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and the Professional Football Referees Association (PFRA) have reached an agreement ahead of the 2026/27 domestic season.

The deal ends industrial action that began on September 4th. Nearly 100 of Australia’s top referees had refused appointments during the dispute. The agreement provides immediate certainty for officials. It also clears the way for Australia’s top referees to return for the Australia Cup Final this week and the opening rounds of the A-League Men and Women competitions.

Under the new framework, referees will be contracted and employed exclusively by Football Australia. The APL will cover the cost of referees appointed to A-League matches. The arrangement runs through the end of the 2026/27 season. The three organisations will continue discussions on a longer-term structure for elite refereeing in Australia.

The agreement resolves the central dispute between the parties. Football Australia had proposed shifting responsibility for A-League referees to the APL. The referees opposed the move. They raised concerns about employment certainty. They also questioned the independence of referees working under a league controlled by the clubs they officiate.

The dispute had already disrupted Australian football. Singaporean officials were brought in for the Australia Cup semi-final between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory. Rookie Australian officials also took charge of another Cup fixture during the strike. The crisis therefore moved beyond a contractual disagreement. It affected the delivery of major matches.

The A-League Men season begins on October 16 with the Sydney derby at Allianz Stadium and the A-League Women season will also begin in October. The agreement solves the immediate problem. It does not end the wider debate over refereeing in Australian football.

FA, the APL and the PFRA must now build a sustainable model for elite officials. The strike exposed uncertainty around contracts, funding and governance. Those issues cannot return every time a new season approaches. Australian football can moves forward, but this is an issue that should be reviewed for the sustainability of Australian referees.

SBS expands Australian Championship broadcast coverage for 2026

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Image Credits: Football Australia

The Australian Championship will enter its second season with an expanded broadcast partnership between Football Australia and SBS. The 2026 competition will feature two live SBS broadcasts in every round, marking an increase from the tournament’s debut season.

Thursday night football will form a key part of the new broadcast schedule. The opening match will see Preston Lions face Wollongong Wolves on October 15th, with the game broadcast live on SBS2 and SBS On Demand. Saturday football will also remain part of the free-to-air schedule; first up, Sutherland Sharks’ clash with South Melbourne on October 17th will be shown live on SBS and SBS On Demand.

The expanded agreement gives the competition a greater presence across SBS’s linear channels while retaining its full streaming coverage, with every match across the 2026 Australian Championship available live on SBS On Demand. The platform also provides full replays and highlights for viewers to access at their discretion.

In addition to SBS’ coverage, Football Australia will also stream the competition via YouTube.

The Australian Championship consists of a six-round group stage, finals beginning at quarter-finals from November 26, and a Grand Final scheduled currently between December 10-12.

It features 16 clubs from seven states and territories. The broadcast schedule places several historic fixtures in front of a national audience: South Melbourne will meet Sydney United 58 in a repeat of the 1999 NSL Grand Final, and Sydney Olympic and Marconi Stallions will also renew a rivalry that includes NSL Grand Final meetings in 1989 and 1990.

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