Once you have qualified as a referee, you are able to apply for promotion through The FA's refereeing structure. To gain promotion, set criteria must be followed, and your success will be based upon assessments of your refereeing performance.

Further information:

• A 'registration' period is a football season: 1st July to 30th June
• A 'promotion' season runs from 1st March to 28th February
• Invitations to apply for promotion will be sent by 31st December
• Applications for promotion must be received by 31st January

Upon fully completing the FA Referees Course, match officials become Level 8 referees if under the age of 16, or Level 7 referees if over 16. This means you are qualified to officiate local grassroots football.

How many games do I need to complete before applying for promotion?

To apply for promotion from Level 7 to Level 6 a referee must have officiated as a referee in a minimum of 20 games in one registration period and is required to:

• Referee a minimum of 20 games during the promotion season, 70% (14) of these must be in Adult football
• Re-register with Norfolk FA using the Whole Game System by 31st May each year
• Attend at least one of the five scheduled CPD Events in the summer and pass the Assessment of Knowledge Test on the Laws of the Game
• Attend a Promotion Seminar organised by the County FA and pass the appropriate National FA test on the Laws of the Game (held in October)
• Receive a minimum of 3 assessments, all of which must be on Adult football
• Be pro-active in their attitude to administrative duties, including a prompt response to all appointments and the submission of closed dates to the Referee Appointments Officer, and the submission of discipline reports via the Whole Game System within the correct time period

Level 5 referees may then be eligible for promotion to more senior competitions.

These promotions are decided on by The FA after the County FA nominates those Level 5’s who meet the criteria set. This would involve refereeing in a 'supply league - Level 4', and being an assistant referee in a 'Contributory League - Level 3'.

Further promotion would take you on to a 'Panel League - Level 2' and ultimately, on to the 'National list of Referees - Level 1'.