To support football being truly a game for all, FA Refereeing and Derbyshire FA are working in partnership to offer bursaries for the FA Refereeing Course.

The bursary programme has been developed to support individuals who may be facing barriers to getting involved in refereeing.  We want to create a more inclusive referee workforce and will be offering FA Refereeing Courses at a discount rate of £40 (instead of £140) for historically underrepresented communities (Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage populations).

The initiative is aligned to the new FA Refereeing Strategy to wider goal of helping to increase referee recruitment from historically underrepresented ethnic communities.

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 mini soccer, 9 v 9 and/or 11 v 11 football.  

Benefits of refereeing:
-Financial incentive: Referee payments currently range from £30 - £45 per match (course cost of £40 can be earned back refereeing 2 fixtures)
-Career prospects: Opportunity to progress through the referee pathway semi-pro and professional game
-Fitness: Staying active whilst refereeing
-Skill development: Teamwork, communication, management skills etc can be learnt

The proposed course dates and venue is subject to be confirmed. However, we are initially gathering interest to see if we have enough numbers to run a course.

To express your interest in the referee course and to receive the bursary, you must click the link below and complete the form.

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM