Become a Referee

Referees are a vital part of football and as the Scottish FA seeks to continually grow and develop the Scottish game, there is a constant need to recruit and develop referees.

Refereeing can be a highly rewarding challenge, encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle as well as significantly contributing to the development of the game. Referees operate at all levels– from grassroots football right through to the Scottish Professional Football League and international matches.

Introductory Referee Course

The Introductory Referee Course is delivered on behalf of the Scottish FA by the 12 Referees’ Associations throughout the country.

Course fee

£35 (includes the first season’s membership fee)
£15 for concessions (students and unemployed persons)

The course length is generally between eight and 10 weeks for two hours per night. The courses are held twice a year in the January to March and September to December periods.  Other courses may be held outside this schedule depending on local circumstances and demand.

There are two parts to the Introductory Course. The first is classroom-based learning on the Laws of the Game with an exam in the final week.  The exam is conducted on computers at the course venue and  involves multiple choice questions, report writing and assessing match incidents on video. 

The second part involves officiating a match under the guidance of a more experienced referee. Once part two is completed, candidates are able to join the local Referees’ Association and become a Scottish FA registered referee.

Support is given to new referees by their Referees’ Association and a mentor will be arranged to provide guidance in the early stages of their refereeing careers. Direction will also be given on suitable leagues to commence refereeing.

Make an Enquiry

Complete the contact form for your local Referees' Association.