Football Australia is pleased to announce two significant appointments to its Referees’ Committee, further strengthening its commitment to world-class officiating standards.
Renowned English referee, David Elleray has been appointed as Chair of the Referees’ Committee with former FIFA Futsal Referee Ryan Shepheard joining the committee as a member.
Elleray brings unparalleled experience to the role having officiated at the highest levels of the game in the Premier League and as a FIFA Referee which saw him officiate the 1994 FA Cup Final.
He has also held senior leadership positions within global football governance and referee development where he sat on the Football Association Council for 20 years, including as chair of the FA Referees’ Committee.
His appointment reinforces Football Australia’s ambition to align with best-practice international standards and to continue elevating the professional environment for match officials across the country.
Shepheard, Australia’s most decorated futsal referee, is a respected contributor to referee education and development and adds contemporary elite officiating insight to the Referees’ Committee.
In 2024, Shepheard became the first Australian to referee a FIFA Futsal World Cup semi-final, capping off an impressive career which saw him listed as an elite Asian Football Confederation referee for 15 years where he also became the first Australian to referee an AFC Futsal Asian Cup Final.
His experience within the fast-paced and technically demanding futsal environment – as well as his experience in the Isuzu UTE A-League – provides valuable perspective to the broader refereeing landscape in Australia.
Football Australia Head of Referees, Jon Moss said these appointments represent a significant step forward in strengthening governance, supporting talent identification and ensuring Australia remains at the forefront of referee development globally.
“The appointments of David Elleray and Ryan Shepheard signal Football Australia’s intent to drive performance, consistency and innovation across all levels of officiating.
“Their leadership and expertise will continue to build a high-performance refereeing culture at Football Australia that underpins the integrity and success of the game nationwide.
“With strong international standing and deep technical expertise, the enhanced Referees’ Committee will play a central role in shaping policy, development pathways and high-performance standards for Australian match officials.”
