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This blog post explains the KNVB fitheidsmeting, a Dutch fitness test for referees. This new fitness test is introduced in the season 2024-2025, because they want to create a test that connects with refereeing at every amateur level. Why this new test? The tests is based on parts of the (ideas behind the) FIFA fitness test, YoYo test, Interval Shuttle run test or Intermittend Fitness test. Referees can score points the longer they take part in the test. Other crucial criteria: Easy to organise Related to what referees do in their games at amateur level Referees can easily train for it The test is accessible for referees at all physical (condition) levels There is still a possibility to see difference between fit and extra fit referees...

High Intensity Training #7: a new exercise that I tried during a training session with fellow referees in The Hague. Make sure you don’t do too much, because it’s quite a hard one. It looks like an Uefa exercise, but the timing is a little different. How the exercise works You start on the goal-line at one side of the pitch. You can use either cones or just the lines of the field. You start with a high-intensity run from the goal-line to the halfway line in 10 seconds You jog in 20 seconds to the other goal-line You come back to your starting goal-line in 20 seconds Rest and recovery for 10 seconds You run 75m in 15s (just outside the arc of the penalty area at the other end) You continue in the same direction to the goalline in...

Handling the ball to stop a promising attack. How do you deal with that as a referee? In this case study you’ll get a full explanation on how to handle as referee. How would you handle in the situation above? Because the laws about deliberate handballs inside the penalty area changed a little bit, this is a good moment to explain them. The first question that we have to answer is: does the player make an handball offence? And if yes: what kind of offence is it? In this case the defender does touch the ball with his hands, have a good look at that number 3. But which type of handball offence are we talking about? Deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm Making your body unnaturally bigger while touching the ball with your...

The first Laws of the Game Quiz of 2024-2025. I try to maintain the clip, but might publish a quiz less frequently. I might try out tests with 10 questions. Plus I want to try out a quiz with just clips in cooperation with Labhipermedia on ther Wepermedia platform. All new things coming up. Plus the video question will also be published as case study to explain the situation. Video for question 1 You can always practise previous quizzes on this overview page. And after submitting your answers, you can see the correct answers immediately. Video is starting at 2 minutes and 18 seconds with a handball. Quiz Laden… Continue reading...

2024-2025 Laws of the Game changes in football are announced. Below you’ll find an outline summary of Law changes. No big changes. Most interesting for referees is info non-deliberate handball and DOGSO, shin guards (but remains quite general) and different approach on encroachment in line with VAR. Download a full pdf for the LOTG 2024-2025 (in English). Law 1 – The Field of Play Law 3 – The Players Law 4 – The Players’ Equipment Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct Law 14 – The Penalty Kick Continue reading...

The Euro 2024 match officials have been announced. Below the list with referees for the European Championships in Germany. The full list with all officials can be downloaded at the Uefa website. What are the biggest surprises for you? The referees and their assistant referees Video match officials The full list with all officials can be downloaded at the Uefa website. Continue reading...

At times during Pre season games there's a bit more of a relaxed attitude. Situations are managed a bit more and if a players gets a bit out hand he is subbed. However there has to still be an element of credibility and if your going to go in like this during a game pre season or not you should still expect punishment! All the blog posts I had seen on this and the video didn't show a red card. So I went looking for a match report. There didn't seem to be one on the Newport County site. However on the WalesOnline site there is a match report. I quote But as Lee then worked his way across the field, Miller brought his run to a stop with a lunging tackle and the game was delayed for 10 minutes as medics attended him. Miller, who...

FIFA referee István Kovács shares his favourite fitness exercises with the readeres of my blog. It’s a high-intensity training sessions and below he explains how it goes and why he loves it. István Kovács is a Romanian Elite referee for Uefa and he officiated the 2022 Conference League final. He also has been to several final tournaments now. Because he’s top fit, I asked him to share his favourite exercise with me. “My favorite is exercise is 10 times 400 m run”, he says. That’s one lap on the athletics track. And what is his pace? “400 m in 70 sec and 1 min recovery between each lap.” It is a HI training session and it helps me during the matches, because it keeps my heart rate high for long time. I feel never tired during the...

Week 12 Laws of the Game Quiz 2023-2024. A new quiz season has started. Every Tuesday a new quiz. Video for question 1 The next quiz will be published next Tuesday. You can always practise previous quizzes on this overview page. And after submitting your answers, you can see the correct answers immediately. Video is starting at 32 seconds. Quiz Laden… Continue reading...

Week 11 Laws of the Game Quiz 2023-2024. A new quiz season has started. Every Tuesday a new quiz. Video for question 1 The next quiz will be published next Tuesday. You can always practise previous quizzes on this overview page. And after submitting your answers, you can see the correct answers immediately. Video is starting at 1:28 mins with a situation in the penalty area. Quiz Laden… Continue reading...

Week 10 Laws of the Game Quiz 2023-2024. A new quiz season has started. Next Tuesday a new quiz. Video for question 1 The next quiz will be published next Tuesday. You can always practise previous quizzes on this overview page. And after submitting your answers, you can see the correct answers immediately. Video is starting at 15 seconds with a challenge in the penalty area Quiz Laden… Continue reading...

Week 9 Laws of the Game Quiz 2023-2024. Every Tuesday a new quiz. Video for question 1 The next quiz will be published next Tuesday. You can always practise previous quizzes on this overview page. And after submitting your answers, you can see the correct answers immediately. Video is starting at 1 min and 6 seconds for a challenge inside the penalty area. Quiz Laden… Continue reading...

Week 8 Laws of the Game Quiz 2023-2024. A new quiz season has started. Every Tuesday a new quiz. Video for question 1 The next quiz will be published next Tuesday. You can always practise previous quizzes on this overview page. And after submitting your answers, you can see the correct answers immediately. Video is starting at 1m19s. Quiz Laden… Continue reading...

Explosive movement as assistant referee is very important. Just after the deep pass, you have to sprint and keep up with the secondlast defender. But how do you train for this? Angelo Doyle, CONCACAF and FIFA Assistant Referee shares how he works on this explosiveness. Physical exercises without running “As an assistant referee explosive movement is an action we do all the time during a game”, says Angelo Doyle. “Therefore alot of core activity is needed”. Angelo Doyle highlights some core stability exercises he does: Not familiair with them? Google the names and you see what they are and how to perform them. On my blog you also find more about core stability for referees. Short sprints to work on explosive movement But it’s not just...

Week 7 Laws of the Game Quiz 2023-2024. A new quiz season has started and in 2024 I’ll publish some weekly quizzes again after a while not being so active. Every Tuesday a new quiz. And more stuff will be on the blog as well, with weekly fitness Fridays. Happy I am back at it now 🙂 Video for question 1 The next quiz will be published next Tuesday. You can always practise previous quizzes on this overview page. And after submitting your answers, you can see the correct answers immediately. Video is starting at 1m17s with a possible penalty incident in the penalty area of Napoli Quiz Laden… Continue reading...

Nike referee kits for 2024-2026 are announced on the Facebook page of UNAF. The colours are: Which colour do you like the most? Continue reading...

Week 6 Laws of the Game Quiz 2023-2024. A new quiz season has started. Every Tuesday a new quiz. Video for question 1 The next quiz will be published next Tuesday. You can always practise previous quizzes on this overview page. And after submitting your answers, you can see the correct answers immediately. Video is […] Continue reading...

How do you do a referee matchday primer session in the gym? On the Instagram of Martin Nugent Elite Performance I saw a nice exercise from English top referee Rebecca Welch. In this blog post you’ll get some great ideas to do a session the day before your game in the gym. If you want […] Continue reading...

Week 5 Laws of the Game Quiz 2023-2024. A new quiz season has started. Every Tuesday a new quiz. Video for question 1 The next quiz will be published next Tuesday. You can always practise previous quizzes on this overview page. And after submitting your answers, you can see the correct answers immediately. Video is […] Continue reading...

Week 4 Laws of the Game Quiz 2023-2024. A new quiz season has started. Every Tuesday a new quiz. Video for question 1 The next quiz will be published next Tuesday. You can always practise previous quizzes on this overview page. And after submitting your answers, you can see the correct answers immediately. Starting at […] Continue reading...