The FA has launched a brand-new FREE online course – The FA Guide to the Laws of the Game.

Whatever your role in football, this course will help you understand the key Laws of the Game and how they’re applied.

You’ll learn about fouls and challenges, offside, restarts and set pieces. You’ll also gain an understanding of the signals used by referees and assistant referees, and get an idea of what the referee has to do before a match.

There are five sections (modules) to work through and it will take approximately 90 minutes to complete. 

Videos are used throughout to demonstrate how the Law should be applied and there are activities to reinforce all the key points.  There are some questions at the end of each module, all of which must be answered correctly to successfully complete the learning.

If you want to become a referee, then you must complete this learning before then attending the FA’s new face to face training course, which will be available as soon as Government guidance allows.

Module 1 (‘Before the Match’) covers the referee’s pre-match responsibilities, including ensuring players’ kit is safe, how to carry out the coin toss and what a referee needs to take to a match with them.

Module 2 (‘Signals and Communication’) contains short video clips (GIFs) which show every signal the referee and assistant referee might give during a match.

Module 3 (‘Getting it Right’) deals with foul challenges, violent conduct, handball, unsporting behaviour, DOGSO offences and advantage. It uses video clips from football at different levels to show how the referee should manage common scenarios.

Module 4 (‘Offside’) also uses video clips, this time to demonstrate what is and isn’t offside and how the referee should manage offside offences. The clips, like those used in the ‘Getting it Right’ module, are voiced over to explain the decisions the referees make.

Module 5 (‘Managing Restarts and Set-Pieces’) covers restarts and set-pieces, including goal kicks, corner kicks, throw-ins, free kicks and penalty kicks. It uses both video and illustrations to clarify what players must do at each restart and set-piece and explains what the referee should do if players don’t comply with the Law.

Following the completion of this course, any participant keen on becoming a referee can get in touch with us via nigel.saverton@oxfordshirefa.com to register interest.

To enrol on the course, please click here