If you’re a teenager looking to get into refereeing , we would love you to join one of our Youth Refereeing Academies.

These academies, run in Tauranga, Rotorua and Hamilton, offer a supportive environment for you to develop skills to referee both Football and Futsal. 

At the end of the First Year, you will be qualified as a Level 1 Referee, and you will be able to be appointed to referee games, and earn some cash. 

Our Academy Referees have opportunities at Junior and Youth Tournaments throughout the year, where we provide intensive coaching. This includes opportunities to referee at AIMS Games and the Weir Rose Bowl Tournament. 

NZCT Youth Referee Academy - Hamilton - 2026

Girls only Referee academy

Ages 13-19

Monday at Sport Waikato (Football + Futsal L1)

Starts First Monday of term 2

Time TBC

Referee academy (mixed)

Ages 13-19

Monday at Sport Waikato (Football + Futsal L1)

Starts First Monday of term 2

Time TBC

2nd year + Academy (mixed) - ​​​​​​​Continuing Referee Education

Becoming your best referee with continued support and learning.

Monday at Sport Waikato - fortnightly Odd weeks of term, starting term 2

Time TBC

Contact Waikato Youth Referee Coordinator Nadia Browning - nadia.b@waibop.co.nz for more information

NZCT Youth Referee Academy - Tauranga - 2026

1st Year Academy

Held every Monday in term time for all Boys & Girls aged 13-19 yrs, starting Monday 20th April (1st Monday of Term 2)

Boys & Girls aged 13-19 yrs - 1st Year Referees

4.30pm - 5.30pm

Sports BOP Tauranga 406 Devonport Road Tauranga South

Dates: 

April- 20th May-4th,11th,18th,25th June-8th,15th,22nd,29th July-20th,27th August- 3rd,10th,24th,31st September-21st October- 12th,19th

2nd and 3rd Year Academy
For those who have completed the first year academy, the second year involves once a month meetings with a focus on mentorship for the referee journey, and review of key subjects

Boys & Girls aged 13-19 yrs - 2nd/ 3rd / 4th year Referees

Meetings are held on Wednesdays at 5.30pm, once a month

Sports BOP Tauranga 406 Devonport Road Tauranga South

May- 11th June- 8th July- 27th August- 10th September- 28th October- 12th

Contact BOP Youth Referee Coordinator Anna Harris  - anna.h@waibop.co.nz for more information.

NZCT Youth Referee Academy - Rotorua - 2026

1st Year Academy

Held every Wednesday in term time for all Boys & Girls aged 13-19 yrs, starting Wednesday 22nd April (1st Wednesday of Term 2)

Boys & Girls aged 13-19 yrs - 1st Year Referees

4.30pm - 4.30pm

Sport BOP Rotorua Office, 1189 Amohia Street, Rotorua 3040

Dates: April- 22nd,28th May- 6th,13th,20th,27th, June- 3rd,10th,17th,24th,17th July- 22nd,29th August- 5th,12th,19th,26th, September- 23rd October- 22nd,29th

2nd Year Academy

Boys & Girls aged 13-19 yrs - 2nd Year Referees

5.30 - 6.30pm

Sport BOP Rotorua Office, 1189 Amohia Street, Rotorua 3040

Dates: April- 22nd May- 20th June- 17th July- 29th August- 19th September- 23rd October- 29th

Contact BOP Youth Referee Coordinator Anna Harris  - anna.h@waibop.co.nz for more information.

"We were impressed with the calibre of referee teaching sessions and the on-the-day support by the whole WAIBOP team at AIMS (the kids first paid gig).

Anna you built a lovely rapport with the girls so they felt strong and supported when it came to the games. There were some tough comments and interactions from the ‘sideline refs’ but the girls were supported 100%.

Highly recommend this programme for any teens getting into football / Futsal reffing. They now have paid roles and it’s been a massive confidence boost." 

Annalees Jones

"The Tauranga Referee Academy is an amazing development opportunity for any aspiring referee! My son has loved attending the weekly classes, and his refereeing skills have progressed so much over the past six months. I know that real highlights for him were being able to represent WaiBOP as a referee at the AIMS Games, and attending the Weir Rose Bowl Referee Academy. Many thanks to Anna and the WaiBOP Referee team for all the time and effort they put into developing our young football referees."

"After joining the referee academy in July the course had been going for a month already but I was made to feel so included and welcomed. Throughout the whole experience we have had the support of senior referees which has allowed me to grow my confidence with the whistle on the field. We have had so many cool experiences and opportunities to build our referring skills. Through the academy I have been able to get my level one football referee certificate and are currently working towards my futsal level one qualification with the help and support of Anna.

Many thanks to WaiBOP for providing this fantastic opportunity."

"Tauranga’s Referee Academy is a great opportunity for teenagers up to young adults who want to become refs and learn more about the game. You get taught about the Laws of the Game, Signals, the types of fouls and much more. There are also great opportunities to come from the Reffing Academy.

All the things they teach you about refereeing leads up to you being able to referee AIMS Games.

AIMS is a great experience for young Referees, you can either pick Futsal or Football, which I picked Futsal. I was also lucky enough to be able to Referee the AIMS Girls Futsal final which was a huge privilege. I definitely recommend the Referee Academy for all teenagers and young adults who want to learn more about Football and to have cool experiences like Reffing AIMS Games and different Tournaments."

I am so glad I got the opportunity to do the reffing academy course. It has helped my confidence and it has been great to learn a new skill and to challenge myself. I would like to thank the reffing academy so much for this experience. I have enjoyed it so much and I would definitely recommend it for other people wanting to learn how to Ref football or futsal.

Refereeing Football and Futsal in Aotearoa/NZ is an opportunity to achieve goals and progress through levels.

The refereeing pathway in Aotearoa/NZ has a range of opportunities dependent on the level you intend to be involved in Football or Futsal.  

In the WaiBOP Football Federation we also continue to develop and invest in opportunities for Referees to move through the New Zealand Football Referee Pathway.

Video from "The Battle of the Kaimais" U14 Girls Tournament Day - All refereed by Academy Referees (Fergusson Park, Tauranga, 2023)