Whether you are new to officiating or an experienced veteran like Peter Guest, it is easy to referee in season 2026.
Guest has been a referee in the Hunter region across community and Zone Football League competitions for Northern NSW Football and Macquarie Football for 16 years.
He became a referee after watching his son take up the whistle and has not looked back since.
“I got into refereeing in 2010 after I watched my son referee the year before. I quickly signed up to attend the Macquarie Football referee seminar in 2010 and I’ve been doing it since then,” Guest said.
“This will be season number 16 for me.
“I now referee for Macquarie Football on a Friday night and for Northern NSW Football the remainder of the time but I also do occasional school games.
“I did community football for my first five years and then became a Zone League referee in 2015.
“Becoming a referee was one of the best decisions I’ve made.”
There are many reasons to become a referee as it is a way to give back to the game, earn extra money and build leadership and teamwork skills.
For Guest, it was a way to bond with the local community and stay connected with football.
“I love refereeing because it’s such a good way to give back to the football community and assist with the running of matches, while playing such a large part of someone’s football experience,” Guest said.
“I hurt my neck at work in 2009 and that prevented me from playing football again. By becoming a referee I was able to stay not only connected to the game but also to the people in it.
“After refereeing in the same competition for a long time so many players are happy to say hello to you away from the game.
“It’s even better when you show up to a game and teams say, ‘it’s good to have you today’, I think that really shows the community that football creates.”
Guest emphasised that new referees need to commit for more than one season, as he understands that the first year can be particularly challenging.
“If someone wants to become a referee I think it’s vital that they stay with it for more than one year because the first year can be very hard,” Guest said.
“It’s important to ask plenty of questions and take any advice you get on board.
“But honestly, I recommend everyone to become a referee.”
Registrations are now open for the 2026 season. Get the best view on the pitch and sign up to referee HERE.