Football Queensland advocates referee education across the state

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.

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UEFA and Unilever renew partnership

UEFA has embraced Unilever as an Official Global Partner of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, kicking off in Switzerland on July 2 until July 27, 2025.

Unilever’s deal with UEFA builds off of their 2024 partnership and will see a wide array of Unilever’s Foods and Personal Care brands ignite their own integrated advertising campaigns to connect with fans and consumers in and out of the stadium, including household names like Dove, Rexona, Knorr and Hellmann’s.

UEFA marketing director, Guy-Laurent Epstein expressed UEFA’s excitement to work with Unilever again.

“Building on the success of our collaboration last summer, we are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Unilever for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025,” he said in a press release.

The support and interest in women’s football is on a sharp upward trajectory, and with Unilever’s portfolio of Food and Personal Care brands reaching billions of people every day, we look forward to celebrating the power of the game and bringing excitement to fans everywhere.”

General Manager of Unilever Foods Europe, Robbert de Vreede conveyed his enthusiasm for Unilever’s involvement in the upcoming Women’s EURO 2025.

“We are thrilled to partner with the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, enabling our Foods brands to connect with a large audience who come together enjoying the thrill of a football match with friends whilst sharing delicious foods,” he said in a UEFA press release.

“Just as a great BBQ brings people closer, football unites fans in a shared experience of passion and camaraderie. In this partnership we will create memorable moments that highlight the best of summer – good food, great company, and beautiful games.”

General Manager of Unilever Personal Care Europe, Fulvio Guarneri detailed why the collaboration between UEFA and Unilever was a perfect fit.

“This is an exciting opportunity for some of our biggest brands to tap into a big cultural moment and connect with millions of consumers who will be watching the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025,” he said via press release.

“It’s a great time for women’s football and this partnership fits perfectly with our Personal Care products which are all about feeling clean and confident, and taking part in sports. Together with our retail partners, we look forward to building on the success of last year’s men’s tournament, delivering unmissable campaigns across a variety of channels that celebrate the power of women’s football.”

Unilever joins an exciting list of brands for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 tournament, including household names such as adidas, Amazon, AXA, Booking.com, EA, Euronics, Grifols, Heineken, Hublot, Just Eat Takeaway.com, Lay’s, Lidl, PlayStation and Visa.

The Club Development Conference highlights community football

Significant Sporting Events Program 2023-24

On Saturday, February 1st, over 200 attendees came together at Valentine Sports Park for the 2025 Football NSW Club Development Conference.

With registrations for the 2025 season still coming in, over 85 Football NSW clubs from both Sydney Metropolitan and regional areas gathered for a dynamic day of workshops, panels, and special guest speakers, celebrating community football.

Presented by Stephanie Brantz, the Conference included keynote addresses from Karen Jones, Acting CEO of Destination NSW and Chief Executive of the NSW Office of Sport, Dr. Catriona Rose of the Australian Sports Commission, and Matildas cap #167, Ellie Brush.

After the successful second edition of the conference, Trevor Huxley, Football NSW’s Program Manager for Club Development, expressed his excitement over the strong support from the community.

“The Club Development Conference is a fantastic opportunity to bring together all levels of the game to learn from one another, network and discuss best practice for grassroots football,” said Huxley via press release.

“It has been inspiring to see grassroots clubs across the state in attendance, illustrating a remarkable commitment to supporting their local communities. It’s vital that Football NSW continues to lead in this space, providing support to the volunteers and local administrators who are central to the ongoing growth of our game.”

Along with the keynote speakers, attendees were able to choose sessions tailored to their Club or role, covering topics such as safeguarding, volunteerism, marketing and data analysis, infrastructure and grant funding, player and spectator behaviour, women & girls’ football, diversity and inclusion, and grassroots coach education.

The Football NSW Club Development Conference serves as a pivotal platform for enhancing community football by Empowering Clubs, Facilitating Networking, Offering Targeted Education and Showcasing Leadership.

By focusing on these areas, the conference plays a crucial role in strengthening community football, promoting inclusivity, and ensuring the sport’s sustainable growth.

To gain further details and access Club resources, click here.

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