Two new publications from the EU-funded REFS project bring evidence and practical guidance to an important workforce challenge facing European sport: how to attract, support and retain the next generation of sport officials.
The European Research Report on Children and Young People in Sport Officiating and the Compendium of Good Practice Examples in the Perception, Recruitment and Retention of Children and Young People in Sport Officiating have now been published on the REFS website. Together, they provide sport federations, clubs, schools, officiating organisations and policymakers with a detailed picture of young officials’ experiences and examples of initiatives that can inform future action.
The publications have been produced through REFS – Inspiring the Next Generation of Sport Officials in Europe. Coordinated by the European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE), with Coventry University from the United Kingdom leading the development of these new publications for the sector.
A substantial new evidence base
The research report focuses on sport officials aged 14–20 and examines how young people enter officiating, the benefits they gain, the difficulties they experience and the factors influencing whether they remain involved. Its evidence comes from a review of academic and sector literature, interviews with 27 young officials from eight European countries and 12 sports, and a European survey that generated 533 usable responses from 25 countries.
The findings show that officiating is closely connected to young people’s wider participation in sport. More than nine in ten survey respondents also played sport, while 30.4% coached or trained others. Love of sport was the strongest reason for starting: 88.1% said it had influenced their decision, while 78.5% viewed officiating as a way to remain involved.
Many future officials may therefore already be within clubs, teams, schools and youth programmes. Almost two-thirds of respondents had been encouraged by somebody they respected, with clubs, families, coaches, friends and schools all playing a role.
The report makes a strong case for recognising officiating as youth development. Young officials described gains in confidence, communication, leadership, decision-making, responsibility and resilience. Three-quarters felt confident managing games and difficult situations, while almost 80% were proud to be a sport official.
Respect and protection remain urgent concerns
Alongside these benefits, the research presents a serious warning about the environments in which young officials operate. Lack of respect was identified as a potential barrier to entering officiating by 69.0% of respondents, and 67.7% identified fear of abuse or criticism.
Among 435 young officials who answered questions about their experiences, 61.1% reported at least one form of abuse or negative treatment. Verbal abuse was the most common, reported by 56.6%, while physical and online abuse were also recorded. The report argues that this is a safeguarding, wellbeing, culture and workforce issue.
Support and belonging can make a significant difference. More than two-thirds of respondents felt part of a community of officials, and those who experienced this sense of belonging were much more likely to feel proud of the role, recommend officiating to others and intend to continue. Mentoring is particularly important during the first two years, when young officials are developing confidence and deciding whether the role is sustainable for them.
Although 83.4% intended to continue officiating for at least another year, only 61.5% saw it as part of their longer-term future. The report links this gap to unclear progression routes, limited support and the challenge of balancing appointments with education, work, travel, playing and other life commitments.
Its recommendations are organised across three timeframes. Immediate priorities include making entry routes visible, introducing early mentoring or buddy support, strengthening matchday protection and reporting, recognising young officials, and clarifying payment, expenses and practical expectations. Medium-term action includes peer networks, scenario-based training, clearer progression pathways and more flexible systems. Longer-term recommendations call for officiating to be embedded within youth development strategies, supported by sustainable safeguarding frameworks, better workforce data, cultural change and young official leadership programmes.
Good practice that can be adapted
The accompanying compendium turns many of these themes into practical examples. It includes five extended and three concise case studies from football, hockey, school sport, athletics, rugby, handball and basketball.
The examples range from the FA and Dorset County Football Association’s Young Referee Retention Programme, which combines mentoring, development opportunities and safer match environments, to EuroHockey’s international umpire education programmes, built around collaborative learning, tournament experience and online mentoring. France’s UNSS Young Referees/Young Judges Programme demonstrates how school sport can combine practical officiating, progressive certification, formal recognition and civic education.
The Dutch Athletics Federation shows how a modern residential programme can help young officials learn with their peers and form lasting networks. The RFU’s Young Match Officials programme combines staged appointments with individual mentoring and explicit safeguarding responsibilities. Shorter studies from Malta Handball, Basketball Netherlands and the Dutch Handball Association add examples of grassroots recruitment, international collaboration, monthly online development and structured support for progression.
Each case study describes why the initiative was needed, how it works, who is involved, the challenges encountered, the impact observed and the aspects that could transfer to other settings.
From recruitment campaigns to supported pathways
The central message is that perception, recruitment and retention cannot be addressed separately. A campaign may persuade a young person to take a course, but it will not keep them involved if their first experiences are isolated, inflexible or unsafe.
Sustainable progress requires a connected pathway: early visibility, accessible entry points, supported practical experience, trained mentors, protection from abuse, recognition, social connection and understandable opportunities to develop. It also requires national frameworks to be translated into consistent local delivery through clubs, schools, leagues, educators and volunteers.
For sport sector stakeholders, the publications offer a practical starting point. Young people are willing to officiate, take pride in the role and recognise its wider value. The task now is to build the conditions in which they can enter, belong, develop and remain.
By combining evidence from young officials themselves with transferable examples from across Europe, the two new REFS publications provide a timely foundation for that work.
Contact
Ben Gittus – EOSE Director of Standards – European Observatoire of Sport and Employment
