World of Football Refereeing

Referee Observation CHECKLIST

Referee Observation
World of Football Refereeing and its observers have established a highly developed and
detailed system to gather referee performances on international top level. It is aimed at creating
kind of equivalent to UEFA’s official referee observation.
To assure a detailed and qualitative evaluation of the respective referee performance, it has to
be laid emphasis on the availability of certain parameters which are the basis of the final mark
the match officials receive. These parameters are taken into account with a different percentage
adequate to their importance and significance (MATCH DIFFICULTY / IMPORTANCE,
CONTROL, DECISIONS, STYLE).
UEFA has recently underlined the meaning of the decisions, but also emphasized the rising
importance of the match reading and physical condition of their referees. This system pays
heavy attention to that, too.

The final mark comes therefore into existence by the following parameters and scales, which
the blog referee observers are asked to strictly follow:

 MATCH DIFFICULTY / IMPORTANCE: Aimed at giving an impression about the difficulty

of the match which influenced the referee performance (includes aspects like
atmosphere etc.) and the importance of the match, whether it is e.g. to a certain extent a
very important match due to its stage in a competition or its historical background.
Criteria Mark Spectrum
Easy-going match with few challenges for the referee 60,0 or 65,0
Intense match with some difficult situations to solve 70,0 or 75,0
Very difficult match 80,0 or 85,0
Very difficult match, many important situations to solve and the
match background and the stage in the competition indicate a very 90,0, 95,0 or 100,0
high importance of the match
It counts 10%.

 CONTROL: Includes the way the referee controls the match, inhowfar he had authority
and restricted upcoming conflicts.
Criteria Mark Spectrum
Excellent Control 90,0-100,0
Very good Control 81,0-89,0
Good, Expected Level, only some challenges for the referee 75,0-80,0
Still Expected Level, however some area for improvement in
70,0-74,0
different areas
Still acceptable, however, important area for improvement in
60,0-69,0
different areas
Poor Control, obvious problems here 45,0-59,0
Totally disappointing, no control at all 0,0-49,0
It counts 20%.

 DECISIONS: Quality of the Decisions.

Criteria Mark Spectrum
Excellent Decisions 90,0-100,0
Very good, Important Decisions correctly taken. 85,0-89,0
Good, Expected Level, only some challenges for the referee 80,0-84,0
Good, Expected Level, however some area for improvement 75,0-79,0
Still Expected Level, however, important area for improvement 70,0-74,0
a) One clear and important mistake of match influencing or even 65,0-69,0

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 decisive degree (such as wrong sending-offs, wrongly disallowed
goals or wrong/missed penalty kicks), otherwise in the area of 80,0-
100,0
b) No clear or important mistake, however, slightly below Expected
Level, important area for improvement and smaller
weaknesses/mistakes
a) One clear and important mistake of match influencing or even
decisive degree (such as wrong sending-offs, wrongly disallowed
goals or wrong/missed penalty kicks), otherwise in the area of 70,0-
79,0 60,0-64,0
b) No clear or important mistake, however, clearly below Expected
Level, important area for improvement and too many smaller
weaknesses/mistakes
Inacceptable Decisions, even though there was no match
55,0-59,0
influencing or decisive mistake
More than one clear and important mistake of match influencing or
50,0-54,0
even decisive degree, otherwise in the area of 80,0-100,0
More than one clear and important mistake of match influencing or
45,0-49,0
even decisive degree, otherwise in the area of 70,0-79,0
Inacceptable Decisions, many clear and important mistakes of
0,0-44,0
match influencing or even decisive degree
It counts 40%.

 STYLE: This parameter is split in two parts. The first part contains “Physical and
Technical Aspects”. It includes aspects like the athleticism of the referee, the movement
and positioning on the pitch The second part focuses on “The Tactical Approach” into
account by which the referee leads the match (e.g. an active dealing with the match or a
more likely passive one, communication, mutual respect etc.) and finally, the cooperation
within the team should be considered, too, by solely commenting very briefly on it.
This parameter however differs a lot from the other ones, as the observer has to decide
absolutely subjectively. Furthermore, there is hardly a scale which allows the observers a
consistent allocation of marks when certain criteria is fulfilled or not. Therefore, the
observers have to set an X for each criteria either in the areas + (above expected level),
o (normal, expected level) and – (below expected level).
The final mark is made up of two different marks for both criteria, on the one hand
“Physical and Technical Aspects” and on the other hand “Tactical approach”. It will then
come into existence according to the observer’s subjective assessment and feeling. Both
critieria count 50 % each.
In general, the standard mark (e.g. everything expected level) should move in the area of
75,0 to 80,0. The rest depends on the assessment of each observer. Important: only 0,0,
5,0, 10,0, 15,0 ….95,0, 100,0 to be given (5-steps).
In those areas where the observers have to fill grids by inserting either a +, or an o
(standing for expected level) or a +, both extremes (+, -) should only be awarded if the
respective parameter has been completed by the referee in a manner by far above or by
far below the expected level one has to require at the respective level of the match. If
these parameters have been done in a way which must be expected on the stage or level
of the match, expected level (o) is the only correct choice.
Expected level or the standard mark should be 75,0.
IMPORTANT: This parameter should not be abused either to heavily rise the final
mark or to heavily downgrade the final mark. It must be considered independently
from the other marks!
It counts 30%.

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OVERVIEW
Parameter Percentage
MATCH DIFFICULTY / IMPORTANCE 10%
CONTROL 20%
DECISIONS 40&
STYLE 30%
FINAL MARK 100%

 NEUTRALITY: The neutrality of the referee is actually assured without any doubt. If a
referee makes a crucial mistake (or even more than one) which wrong(s) a certain team,
it will be taken into account in the parameter DECISIONS. Neutrality can be dealt with by
the observer as separate paragraph, however, there is no influence on the final mark as
this value is what it is all about in refereeing.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE FINAL MARK

Mark Spectrum Classification
90,0-100,0 Excellent Performance
83,0-89,0 Very good Performance
76,0-82,0 Expected Level
70,0-75,0 Satisfying, small area for improvement
Still acceptable, important area for
64,0-69,0
improvement
50,0-63,0 Defective Performance
0,0-49,0 Inacceptable

ASSISTANT REFEREES
The Assistant Referees’ evaluation is based on three parameters:
MATCH DIFFICULTY solely for the respective (Additional) Assistant Referee, how much
was he challenged?
Criteria Mark Spectrum
Easy-going match with few challenges for the Assistant Referee 60,0 or 65,0
Some difficult situations to solve 70,0 or 75,0
Difficult match with important situations for the Assistant Referee 80,0 or 85,0
Very difficult match, many important and also match influencing or
90,0, 95,0 or 100,0
decisive decisions to solve situations to solve
It counts 20%.

DECISIONS according to the scale which is also applied for the Referee!
It counts 60%.

STYLE
 the standard mark (e.g. everything expected level) should move in the area of 75,0 to
80,0. The rest depends on the assessment of each observer. Important: only 0,0, 5,0,
10,0, 15,0 ….95,0, 100,0 to be given (5-steps).
 In those areas where the observers have to fill grids by inserting either a +, or an o
(standing for expected level) or a +, both extremes (+, -) should only be awarded if the
respective parameter has been completed by the referee in a manner by far above or by
far below the expected level one has to require at the respective level of the match. If
these parameters have been done in a way which must be expected on the stage or level
of the match, expected level (o) is the only correct choice.

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  Expected level or the standard mark should be 75,0.
 IMPORTANT: This parameter should not be abused either to heavily rise the final
mark or to heavily downgrade the final mark. It must be considered independently
from the other marks!
It counts 20%.

ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT REFEREES

The Additional Assistant Referees’ evaluation is based on three parameters:
MATCH DIFFICULTY solely for the respective (Additional) Assistant Referee, how much
was he challenged?
Criteria Mark Spectrum
Easy-going match with few or even no challenges for the
60,0 or 65,0
Additional Assistant Referee
Some difficult situations to solve 70,0 or 75,0
Difficult match with important situations for the
80,0 or 85,0
Additional Assistant Referee
Very difficult match, many important and also match influencing or
90,0, 95,0 or 100,0
decisive decisions to solve situations to solve
It counts 20%.

DECISIONS according to the scale which is also applied for the Referee!
It counts 60%.

STYLE
 the standard mark (e.g. everything expected level) should move in the area of 75,0 to
80,0. The rest depends on the assessment of each observer. Important: only 0,0, 5,0,
10,0, 15,0 ….95,0, 100,0 to be given (5-steps).
 In those areas where the observers have to fill grids by inserting either a +, or an o
(standing for expected level) or a +, both extremes (+, -) should only be awarded if the
respective parameter has been completed by the referee in a manner by far above or by
far below the expected level one has to require at the respective level of the match. If
these parameters have been done in a way which must be expected on the stage or level
of the match, expected level (o) is the only correct choice.
 Expected level or the standard mark should be 75,0.
 IMPORTANT: This parameter should not be abused either to heavily rise the final
mark or to heavily downgrade the final mark. It must be considered independently
from the other marks!
It counts 20%.

FOURTH OFFICIAL
Standard mark is 75,0; if something extra ordinary happens, mark to be given in accordance
with the observer’s own assessment

RESERVE ASSISTANT REFEREE

Standard mark is 75,0; if something extra ordinary happens, mark to be given in accordance
with the observer’s own assessment

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IMPORTANT REMARK
The classification for the (Additional) Assistant Referees, Fourth Official and Reserve Assistant
Referee slightly differs from the one for the Referee.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE FINAL MARK

Mark Spectrum Classification
90,0-100,0 Excellent Performance
83,0-89,0 Very good Performance
74,0-82,0 Expected Level
68,0-73,0 Satisfying, small area for improvement
Still acceptable, important area for
60,0-67,0
improvement
45,0-59,0 Defective Performance
0,0-49,0 Inacceptable

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