NZF Community Football - Nominate a Referee

With the community season kicking off, it's time for our search for the 2024 McDonald's Community Football Referee of the Year to begin.

We want to hear about the referee who volunteers every weekend and is always good for a laugh after, or even during, the game. The referee who volunteers through rain or shine, and the parents taking up the whistle for their kid's team week in and week out.

Nominate them and they could be in to WIN a prize pack of a lifetime with a value of upto $5000! 

New Zealand Football will also select a monthly winner who will win a prize pack of up to $100

Nominations close midnight of Thursday 7 November 2024, subject to T&Cs.

Nominate a referee for the 2024 McDonald's Community Football Referee of the Year HERE.

A big congratulations to Josh Hobman of Central Football who has won McDonalds Referee of the Year 2023.

"At the age of 13 I started to coach a first kicks football team, and so started my football refereeing journey. From taking the whistle for First Kicks, I progressed to running the line with my mum for my dad's premier grade football team when an AR wasn't appointed. At the age of 14 mum encouraged me to actually sit my level 1 referee's badge and she sat it with me. From there I was officially appointed to AR Taranaki Premier Grade football matches, and then was officially appointed to my first match in the middle at age 15 (Taranaki Women's grade), through to now officiating at Taranaki Cup finals. In October I also went over to officiate at National U19 tournament in Napier. In between doing official refereeing duties I play football and also volunteered my time to referee local junior and youth teams; 9th grade through to 15th grade which I do this nearly every Saturday morning and also refereeing interschool football for local schools"