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After the FA Referee Course: what happens next?
Completing the course is a milestone, but it is not the same as finishing the qualification process. Your County FA sets out how you become registered, which early matches count and how your status is confirmed. Use its current instructions before accepting a game as part of your pathway.
Check your current referee status
As one local example, Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA says that referees who have completed its course are registered for the current season as Trainee Referees (Level T). First-season registration is completed on your behalf as part of the course. After completing and recording at least five matches, they can progress to Level 7, or to Youth Referee status if under 16. Read the County FA's post-course guidance for the current local process.
If you trained through another County FA, check your own registration and qualification instructions. Rules and systems vary by county, so do not assume that course attendance alone changes your referee level or makes every fixture suitable.
Your next steps after the course
Confirm your registration and requirements
Check the status recorded by your County FA and any requirements for the type of football you plan to referee, especially youth fixtures.
Plan and record five suitable games
Ask the County FA which games count, arrange them through an appropriate club, league or County FA route, and keep the details needed for its records. See our guide to the first five qualifying games.
Submit your record and await confirmation
Submit the match record and feedback your County FA requests. Submission does not automatically make you a qualified referee; the County FA reviews the information and confirms the status change.
When RefSorted becomes relevant
RefSorted is a football referee marketplace. Its current team-posted fixtures set minimum referee requirements from Level 4 to Level 7. It does not provide a Level T qualifying-game route or decide whether a match counts towards your five games, and it does not import County FA or league appointments. Follow your County FA's process while you are a trainee.
Once your County FA has confirmed your status and your recorded level meets a listing's requirement, you can review suitable RefSorted fixtures. Check the age group, format and other details before applying. Teams post fixtures directly, review applications and confirm a referee. An application is not an appointment, and teams pay match fees directly outside RefSorted.