The route towards the Premier League runs through the Elite Referee Development Plan: promising officials below the top flight are paid to devote two or three working days a week to improvement, with coaching, analysis and sports science support around them.
Who the plan is for
Here is what the development plan provides.
| Element | What it means |
|---|---|
| Who is on it | Almost 50 officials from the National League North and South up to the Championship |
| Time | A salary that allows two or three working days a week for self-improvement |
| Support | Referee coaching and analysis, sports scientists, performance psychologists and nutritionists |
| Coaching session | Match footage reviewed for positioning, movement, angles and field coverage |
| Communication kits | Tone, language, body language, authority and teamwork reviewed as well |
The plan is funded by the Premier League and covers officials working from the National League North and South up to the Championship. Everyone on it has been identified as having the potential to reach the very top, so the programme is built for development towards that standard.
It is for officials who are still below the top division but already on a high-performance track. The plan is entering its fifth year of significant funding, and more investment is already earmarked.
What the support actually gives them
The salary creates protected time. Instead of trying to improve only around other work, officials can set aside two or three working days each week for structured self-improvement.
The support package is wider than a single coach. It includes referee coaching and analysis, sports scientists, performance psychologists and nutritionists.
Alan Wiley, a former Premier League official, is a senior referee coach with the development group. He has spent the last 15 years working with emerging officials.
What a one-to-one coaching session looks at
A one-to-one session works through footage from a match the official handled. The review looks at positioning, movement, angles and field coverage, rather than stopping at whether a call was right or wrong.
The coach is checking whether the official put themselves in the best place to see play clearly, move with it and keep control of the areas that matter.
Communication kits add another layer. Because referees use them, a coach can listen back to how the official speaks to players and colleagues and assess tone, language, body language, authority and teamwork alongside the video.
Where the next investment goes
Funding is not stopping with the current plan. Further investment is going into a revamped development group, the CORE X programme, and teaching academy players about officiating.
The next stage of spending reaches both official development programmes and education around officiating.
FAQ
What is the Elite Referee Development Plan?
It is a Premier League-funded pathway for officials working below the top flight. The officials on it have already been identified as having the potential to reach the highest level.
Do referees below the Premier League get paid to train?
Yes. They receive a salary that allows them to spend two or three working days each week on self-improvement.
How are referees on this pathway trained?
The training combines one-to-one coaching, match analysis and specialist support. Sports scientists, performance psychologists and nutritionists are part of the package as well.
What does a referee coach look at?
The review goes beyond isolated decisions. It covers positioning, movement, angles, field coverage, and, through communication kits, the official's tone, language, body language, authority and teamwork.