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Female Refereeing

Women’s Football has seen a large increase in player participation. The game continues to grow with more people getting involved than ever before. This has contributed to a need for more female referees in Scotland.

This is your opportunity to get involved and have a chance of being involved at a high level of Women’s Football, whilst being paid for it. There are other great benefits gained from becoming a referee that range from being part of a network of friends to gaining transferable skills that can you can apply to your work life.

FIFA Female Referee and Assistant Referee

A Female Referee at Category 5 or above who has been nominated by the Scottish FA Referee Committee to FIFA for inclusion in its International List of Referees.

The nomination will be determined on FIFA's criteria and also on the basis of the performance, fitness, commitment and experience of the referee.

A FIFA Female Referee can officiate in the same competitions at the Male FIFA Referees, depending on their domestic Category.

FIFA Development Female Referee and Assistant Referee

A Referee who has demonstrated that they will be able to satisfy the requirements and qualities of a future FIFA Referee to allow the Scottish FA to nominate them to the FIFA International List of Referees.

Register your interest

Complete the form to send your details to the Referee Operations Department.

The Scottish FA are committed to addressing under representation of females in refereeing and ensuring equal opportunities for all.

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 (for females)

Free

Course length

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.

LAWS OF THE GAME