Football South Australia would like to provide an update to the football community on the number of referees in our State.
Our sport is in a positive space with year-on-year growth of competitions and registered participants, as well as associations leaning on Football SA to assist with the management of their competitions. This is positive for the code, however it creates an increased demand on the coverage of referees.
Around 350 match officials are registered in South Australia. This is made up of active match officials, as well as instructors, assessors and coaches to develop referees throughout the pathway.
Football SA has a strong focus to increase the number of match officials each year. This is achieved through numerous referee courses, and has partnerships with various schools to encourage younger referees into the game. Further, there is a strong focus on new referees to ensure they are supported, mentored and coached to provide a supportive environment which is paramount to retain referees for the following season.
It is acknowledged that the total number of active referees is not keeping up with the pace of growth of competitions, resulting in an increased number of matches not covered by official referees. This trend is consistent nationally. It must be noted that a series of club referee courses have been completed in 2023 to assist club volunteers who are asked to officiate games when it is not possible to appoint an official Football SA Referee. Football SA appreciates the ongoing commitment by Clubs and their volunteers to ensure matches are played every weekend.
Football SA will continue to place a strong emphasis on recruitment of referees through courses throughout the year to grow this number and ultimately provide a greater level of coverage.
We ask that the football community remain patient through this time and continue to respect official and club referees as they continue to perform an integral task for our game.
If you are interested in becoming a referee, please register your interest by clicking here.