Today sees the announcement of a series of significant changes that will help shape the future of refereeing in the professional game in England.
The organisation is going through a period of transformation – all aimed at delivering the highest possible standards of refereeing in the elite levels of men’s and women’s football in this country.
Increased funding from the Premier League, EFL, The FA and WSL Football as part of a new three-year agreement will build on the progress made through the Premier League-driven Elite Referee Development Plan (ERDP). This has delivered enhanced coaching and performance support for match officials working in an environment focused on high performance.
The ERDP - due to enter its fifth year of funding - has enabled a more modern and dynamic pathway to be established, which will continue to provide opportunities to those who are ready to officiate across the various levels of the professional game.
That funding will see investment in supporting and accelerating the next generation of talent with an emphasis on a revamped Development Group and the CORE X programme, as well as educating and providing a stronger understanding of officiating to Academy players. These initiatives will continue to complement The FA’s model across grassroots and semi-professional levels while strengthening the refereeing pathway both now and in the future.
Furthermore, the merging of Select Group 1, 2 and its Supplementary List into a new, single ’Professional Referee Group’ in the men's professional game will largely service the Premier League and EFL Championship from the forthcoming campaign, creating both greater competition and flexibility in appointments to recognise high-performing and talented match officials.
To underpin these changes, Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) will adopt a new name and identity: Professional Game Referees (Pro Ref).
Pro Ref has been developed through consultation with officials and staff, as well as our funding partners and wider football stakeholders, including the Football Supporters’ Association, and signifies a new chapter for the organisation whilst maintaining the same purpose - to uphold the integrity of the game and deliver the highest level of refereeing for the competitions we serve.
Chief Operating Officer Danielle Every said: “The extensive change happening within the organisation has been supported by the competitions and is being enabled by a fully-funded three-year plan. Our new name signifies these changes and progress, giving us a more modern, professional and relevant identity which is more representative of the organisation we are now and want to be in the future.
“Working in partnership with The FA, we are determined to make the refereeing pathway clearer, stronger and more accessible than ever before, connecting grassroots, semi-professional and professional football, and removing historical barriers to progression. For the 41,000 referees already operating across England, and for the next generation coming through, these changes are about showing that there is a genuine pathway, a clear ambition and a real opportunity to progress to the very highest levels of the game.”
Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb said: “Our focus is always on delivering the highest possible level of on-field performance and, through close collaboration and the support of the Premier League, EFL, FA and WSL Football, we’re modernising our structures, better supporting referees and making our pathways more dynamic to recognise high-performing and talented officials – something we believe will stand us and the game in good stead now and in the future.
“An environment focused on high performance is fundamental to enhancing refereeing standards whilst a clearer and more contemporary representation of professional refereeing in England is vital to support the ongoing development in our area of the game, attracting the best people to fulfil the integral role officials play each and every week.”
