Football Association of Ireland

The Association’s vision is to enable every person that participates in our game to reach their full potential.

Referees should also be afforded the opportunities to develop and progress in line with their potential, ability and aspirations. A coherent pathway reflecting the size and needs of football in Ireland and levels of football throughout the Country is required.

Key statistics

1600+

Registered referees operating from small sided games to the highest level in grassroots football.

500+

NQRs each year. A minimum of two referee beginner courses run each month.

Our pathway

Beginners course and safeguarding

The referee beginners course and the safeguarding training is the first step to becoming a referee.

Newly qualified referee

You are recognised as a newly qualified referee. You can referee in the lower divisions of the league you have been allocated to.

Category 5

You can referee the lower age levels of underage football and small sided games.

Category 4

You can referee the lower divisions of junior, youth and underage football.

Category 3

You can referee games outside the highest divisions in junior football and referee the highest levels of youth and underage football.

Category 2

You can referee the highest levels of junior football and below.

Category 1

You can referee all levels of grassroots football.

The pathway should allow for development of our referees to serve each level of the game. No two referees are the same and each referee will have different goals, ambitions and development needs.

The new pathway will provide referees with a clear understanding of the requirements needed to referee at each level and will give each referee an opportunity to meet their full potential.

The pathway will allow referees a degree of control over their own development by providing clear criteria for moving through the categories and opportunities for upskilling at each level whilst meeting the needs of the game. The aim of the strategic plan is to recruit, retain, educate and develop our referees. This pathway will provide a clear, practical and achievable system for attaining these goals.

Referee license requirements

NQR

Laws of the game exam
Attend the annual seminar module

Category 5

Laws of the game exam
Attend the annual seminar module
Physical exam

Category 4

Laws of the game exam
Physical exam
Attend one module
Attend the annual seminar module

Category 3

Laws of the game exam
Physical exam
Attend one module
Attend the annual seminar module

Category 2

Laws of the game exam
Physical exam
Attend two module
Complete one online module
Attend the annual seminar module

Category 1

Laws of the game exam
Physical exam
Attend two module
Complete one online module
Attend regional development programme
Attend the annual seminar module

Referee observers and instructors provide coaching and training respectively for all levels of referee development. The training of observers and instructors needs to be enhanced and developed by ensuring ongoing ‘continuous professional development’ opportunities occur with links, where appropriate, with the National Qualifications Framework.

Our guidelines allow a referee to play, coach, or be a club member and continue to referee. To protect these referees from any perceived conflicts they cannot officiate at any competitive matches involving their own club, in the same division as their club or in any cup competition that their club is still competing in.