Referee Hub · Qualifying games
Your first five qualifying referee games
Your first five games are part of qualifying as an FA referee after the course. The practical challenge is to find matches that count under your County FA's rules, then record and submit them properly. These steps use Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA's published guidance as a local example; always check your own County FA's current requirements.
Check which matches count
Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA's five-game guidance says its trainees may use 5v5, 7v7, 9v9 or 11v11 matches. Competitive fixtures and friendlies can count; for a friendly, both teams must be affiliated. These are Sheffield's published rules, so confirm the position with your County FA before relying on a match elsewhere.
If you plan to referee youth football, check safeguarding and eligibility before you agree to a game. Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA says referees aged 16 or over need a valid, in-date FA DBS check for youth football, and under-16 referees may only officiate where the players' age group is at least one year younger. Ask your County FA or competition if you are unsure.
Find a suitable route to each game
Start with a club or league you already know, then ask your County FA about opportunities if you need more games. Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA also describes academy appointments for new referees in its five-game guidance. Check who appoints the official, whether the match is eligible for your record, and any competition requirements before accepting.
For a wider view of clubs, leagues and County FA contacts, see where football referees get local matches. A match being advertised does not mean it counts towards qualification.
Record the games and get your status confirmed
Keep the match details and any feedback requested by your County FA as you go, rather than trying to reconstruct five games later. Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA currently asks trainees to submit both an online five-game record and a referee feedback form. Its official guide links to the current forms.
Submitting those forms does not automatically confirm qualified status. The County FA reviews the submission and tells you when your status has changed. For the wider pathway, read what happens after the FA Referee Course.
RefSorted and trainee games
RefSorted is a football referee marketplace. Its current team-posted fixtures specify minimum referee Levels 4–7. The marketplace does not offer a Level T qualifying-game route and cannot decide whether any match counts towards your five qualifying games. Teams post fixtures directly, and RefSorted does not import league or County FA appointments. Use your County FA's guidance while you are a trainee.
Once your County FA has confirmed your status and your recorded level meets a listing's requirement, you can look at suitable RefSorted listings. Referees apply and the posting team decides whom to confirm. An application is not an appointment, and teams pay match fees directly outside RefSorted.