Football Australia and the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) recorded a landmark 2025/26 season for match officiating across the Isuzu UTE A-League Men and Ninja A-League Women competitions.
There was the successful introduction of new elite officials, major advancements in VAR performance and significant improvements were recorded in decision-making accuracy.
A total of 20 new on-field match officials were introduced throughout the season, reflecting the continued growth and strength of Australia’s elite refereeing pathway.
Among them, Lucy Hungerford achieved a notable milestone, making her debut across the Australian Championship, Ninja A-League Women and Isuzu UTE A-League Men competitions — a reflection of the effectiveness of the national development system.
The season also delivered substantial gains in decision-making accuracy prior to VAR intervention across both competitions.
In the Isuzu UTE A-League Men, referee accuracy improved by 45 per cent, while assistant referees recorded an 18 per cent increase. In the Ninja A-League Women, referee accuracy improved by 44 per cent and assistant referees by 25 per cent, resulting in overall accuracy rates of 91 per cent and 97 per cent respectively.
Video Match Official (VMO) operations also strengthened considerably, with 11 new VMOs integrated into the system, enhancing both depth and capability across the officiating group.
VAR performance reached new standards of efficiency and accuracy throughout the season with VAR errors reduced by 50 per cent, with just nine errors recorded — all classified as missed interventions — compared to 18 in the previous season.
Match interruptions also decreased, with the number of reviews dropping from 48 to 38, equating to approximately one VAR review every four matches. This reflects a clear commitment to maintaining the flow and integrity of the game while ensuring correct decision-making outcomes.
The strong results follow continued investment in referee coaching, education, mentoring and high-performance development programs across Australian football.
Quotes attributable to Football Australia Head of Referees Jon Moss
“This season marked a significant step forward for officiating standards nationwide and the achievements demonstrate the outstanding commitment and professionalism of our match officials and support staff.
“The improvements in accuracy, the reduction in VAR errors and the successful introduction of new officials all point to a system that is evolving strongly and delivering tangible results for the game.
“Football Australia’s focus in 2025/26 season was to continue to progress officiating standards in Australia and reinforce a clear and effective pathway for emerging referees to perform at the highest levels of the domestic game. The strong results reflect that we are on the right pathway.”
Quotes attributable to the Chair of Football Australia Referee Committee David Elleray:
“These very positive figures reflect the very hard work and dedication of all the match officials and those who lead and develop them.
“To achieve such improvements at a time when there have been many new match officials at the Elite level shows not only the talent that is coming through to the top level but also the match officials’ determination to improve and learn from every match.
“The excellent improvement in the accuracy of the on-field decisions means that the VAR interventions have decreased which helps maintain the game’s momentum; the very high accuracy of the final decision (where VAR has been used) is pleasing.
“Work will continue to build on this significant progress so that Australian football is more enjoyable for players, coaches, spectators and the match officials themselves.”
