Football Queensland’s referee strategy for 2025-26 focuses on developing quality refereeing with clubs to enhance the game quality in the state.
FQ has piloted this move with clubs Logan Lightning FC and Moreton City Excelsior FC ahead of the program’s expansion in 2025.
This program should deliver a positive referee and club environment for referees offering extensive pathways for excellence and recognition.
FQ manager of Referee Development Mark Simon-Green has supported this program.
“The club referee program delivers significant benefits by boosting community involvement in refereeing, strengthening referee participation and the quality of referee education within our local clubs,” he said via press release.
“The club referee program will significantly enhance referee coverage and address appointment inefficiencies by enabling young referees to officiate at their clubs before and after their matches, while also providing focused training and support at a single venue.
“Our initial selection and the success of Logan Lightning and Moreton City Excelsior FC as the two pilot clubs in the program reflected their significant commitment to referee training.
“As we expand the initiative to additional clubs across Queensland in 2025, club referees who are registered to a club will be able to officiate MiniRoos matches and, with the support of a Football Queensland registered match official, also officiate Under 13s, Under 14s, and Under 15s boys’ and girls’ academy and community level junior football matches.
“All clubs who participate in the program from next year will be required to have a designated Club Referee Coordinator responsible for overseeing the appointment of match officials, ensuring ongoing support for referees, and facilitating the smooth rollout and operation of the program.”
Referees are key to football at all levels and are a hot topic for the sport, however, quality referees struggle to get the education and support needed to deal with the pressures of the role.
FQ’s Investment in referee education at the club level shows that the FQ and its clubs support education for good officiating to fix officiating problems.
Providing referee’s good education is an important step in helping them have the confidence to continue, this program will hopefully grow the respectful relationship between referees and the spectators and players of the sport.
A promising start that in time will tell if it has been delivered.
