The FA Referee Course
COURSE DETAILS
The FA Referee Course is designed to equip new referees with the key skills and knowledge they will need to be able to referee grassroots football matches safely and effectively. It is for people aged 14 and over who want to referee 7v7, 9v9, 11v11 football. The cost of the course is £130.
Before attending the face to face training all learners must complete online learning on the Laws of the Game, online safeguarding training and expression of interest. If you are aged 16 or over, you will need to obtain an FA DBS.
Important information: If your child is under the age of 18, they must have a parent/guardian linked FAN (FA Number) before they will be able to access the steps below.
CREATE A PARENT/GUARDIAN LINKED FAN
Please ensure that the online learning is completed on the child fan account and not the parent/guardian fan
Please follow the steps below to gain access to a course;
Step 1: COMPLETE ONLINE LAWS OF THE GAME
Step 2: COMPLETE SAFEGUARDING FOR ALL
Step 3: OBTAIN FA DBS (IF AGED 16 AND OVER)
Once you have completed the above steps, click the link below to express your interest. We will then be in touch once the next referee courses are available to book.
Course Content
Online Learning
The online learning has five sections (modules) and will take approximately 90 minutes to complete. There are lots of videos to demonstrate how the Laws should be applied, activities to help reinforce the important points and, at the end of each module, there are some questions to test what you’ve learned.
The online learning can be accessed at https://falearning.thefa.com/course/view.php?id=1804
If you are under the age of 16, you might find the information at the refereeing help centre useful when logging in. This includes information about FA Numbers (FAN) for under 16s.
This module covers the referee’s pre-match responsibilities and includes ensuring players’ kit is safe, how to carry out the coin toss and what a referee needs to take to a match with them.
This module contains short video clips (GIFs) which show every signal the referee and assistant referee might give during a match.
This module deals with foul challenges, violent conduct, handball, unsporting behaviour, DOGSO offences and advantage. It uses video clips from football at different levels to show how the referee should manage common scenarios.
This module also uses video clips, this time to demonstrate what is and isn’t offside and how the referee should manage offside offences. The clips, like those used in the ‘Getting it Right’ module, are voiced over to explain the decisions the referees make.
This module covers restarts and set-pieces, including goal kicks, corner kicks, throw-ins, free kicks and penalty kicks. It uses both video and illustrations to clarify what players must do at each restart and set-piece and explains what the referee should do if players don’t comply with the Law.
Face to Face Training
There is 11 hours of face to face training (normally one evening, followed by a full day), which mixes training room work with practical activity on a pitch. Key messages from the online learning are reinforced throughout. The training room work includes:
• Fun, interactive quizzes
• How to establish rapport and build relationships with players and coaches
• Recognising and dealing with foul challenges and handball
• Managing offside
• Dealing with inappropriate behaviour
• Managing players
On the pitch, you will have the opportunity to turn your knowledge into skills through refereeing game based scenarios. You will practise:
• Communicating decisions
• Cautioning and sending off techniques
• Managing the kick off, free kicks, penalty kicks, corner kicks and throw-ins
• Positioning in open play and at restarts
• Being an assistant referee
Qualifying as a Referee
To qualify as a referee, you must also referee five games after you have attended the face-to-face training.
You will be supported through those five games by your County Football Association (CFA). As you continue your refereeing career, you will then be able to access further training opportunities, both online and face to face.
After you have completed your 5 matches and submitted these to the CFA, you will be invited to a 'call-back' celebration and development session where you will receive your certificate and Nottinghamshire FA badge.