{"id":913647,"date":"2026-10-02T16:34:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T16:34:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/913647\/"},"modified":"2026-10-02T16:34:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T16:34:18","slug":"referees-strike-over-as-football-australia-reaches-deal-ahead-of-a-leagues-seasons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/913647\/","title":{"rendered":"Referees strike over as Football Australia reaches deal ahead of A-Leagues seasons"},"content":{"rendered":"

Football Australia<\/a> (FA) has settled with striking referees to avoid having to call on foreign officials for the Australia Cup final and the start of the A-League Men and Women seasons.<\/p>\n

Nearly 100 of Australia\u2019s best referees had been on strike since September 4.<\/p>\n

FA had proposed a structure whereby referees would be contracted not to the sport\u2019s national governing body but directly to the Australian Professional Leagues (APL).<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

On Friday, FA announced a shared framework had been reached with the Professional Football Referees Australia (PFRA) for the 2026-2027 season, with discussions to continue regarding a longer-term agreement.<\/p>\n

Referees will be contracted and employed by FA, with the APL covering the costs for their matches.<\/p>\n

\u201cReferees are highly valued members of our game, and we are pleased that Football Australia, the APL and PFRA have come together around a shared path forward for Australian refereeing,\u201d FA chief executive Martin Kugeler said in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dialogue over recent weeks has been constructive and respectful.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach party has approached the discussions with a genuine commitment to strengthening refereeing and ensuring the interests of the game remain at the centre of our thinking.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cReferees will be contracted and employed by Football Australia with the APL covering the costs for A-League matches.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis provides a strong platform for the 2026\/27 season, while giving all three parties the opportunity to continue working together on how we further strengthen and develop refereeing in Australia over the longer term.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have an outstanding group of Australian referees, and we now look forward to seeing them on the pitch as our attention turns to an exciting period of football ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

PFRA president Evgeny Vizelman welcomed the resolution as providing referees with certainty while pushing for further professionalism.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe PFRA welcomes the agreement reached with Football Australia, which provides our members with the immediate certainty they need and allows our referees to return their full focus to officiating,\u201d Vizelman said in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cImportantly, this agreement also creates an opportunity for ongoing collaboration regarding the longer-term future of elite refereeing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe remain committed to working constructively with Football Australia and the APL to develop a sustainable structure that supports the continued growth and professionalisation of refereeing in Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe there is a genuine opportunity to build something that works for all parts of the game.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOur members are looking forward to getting back on the field and to working with both organisations to ensure Australian refereeing continues to progress domestically and on the international stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

APL chief executive Steve Rosich had been adamant the dispute would be resolved in time for the season-opening Sydney derby on October 16 at Allianz Stadium.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have liaised closely with Football Australia on this, and we\u2019re pleased a resolution has been reached,\u201d Rosich said.<\/p>\n

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