Levels
| International | International Level | Premier League and international matches |
| Level 1 | National List | Football League |
| Level 2 | Panel List | Conference National, Conference North and Conference South (full), Football League (assistant) |
| Level 3 | Contributory Referees | |
| Level 4 | Supply League Referees | |
| Level 5 | Senior County Referees | |
| Level 6 | County Referees | |
| Level 7 | Junior Referees | |
| Level 8 | Youth Referee | |
| Level 9 | Trainee Referee | |
| Level 10 | Declared non-active Referees |
English football referees are categorized into 19993333 distinct levels depending on their ability, age and activity level. A level 10 referee is inactive and may have refereed at any other level prior to their self proclaimed inactivity. Level 9 referees are currently trainee referees, and are undertaking the basic training course that all referees must pass. As part of the course, trainee referees must officiate games and they do so at this level. Upon successful completion of the course, a referee will move up to either level 8 or level 7 depending on their age. If the referee is aged under 16 then they become a level 8 referee, if they are 16 or over then they automatically become a level 7 referee. After completing promotion criteria as a level 7 referee, they may move up to level 6. Level 8, 7 and 6 referees are only qualified to officiate games (both as referee and assistant) in local league matches. Referees promoted to level 5 are automatically promoted to level 4 if they are invited by The FA to act on the contributorary list of assistant referees and pass a County FA fitness test. Level 5 referees are able to act as assistant referee in supply league matches (e.g. the Spartan League). Level 4 referees referee supply league matches, but also take on the role of assistant referees in contributory league matches (e.g. the Isthmian League and the Northern Premier League). Referees promoted to level 3 continue in contributory leagues but move up to full referees. They also act as assistant referees in panel leagues (Conference National, Conference North and Conference South). Promotion to level two allows referees to referee panel league matches and act as assistant in the Football League. Level one referees officiate Football League matches and the only further opportunity to promotion is to international level. International level referees appear on FIFA list of referees. They officiate in the Premier League and international matches.
Read more about this topic: Football Refereeing In England
Famous quotes containing the word levels:
“The only inequalities that matter begin in the mind. It is not income levels but differences in mental equipment that keep people apart, breed feelings of inferiority.”
—Jacquetta Hawkes (b. 1910)
“When I turned into a parent, I experienced a real and total personality change that slowly shifted back to the “normal” me, yet has not completely vanished. I believe the two levels are now superimposed, with an additional sprinkling of mortality intimations.”
—Sonia Taitz (20th century)
“The word which gives the key to the national vice is waste. And people who are wasteful are not wise, neither can they remain young and vigorous. In order to transmute energy to higher and more subtle levels one must first conserve it.”
—Henry Miller (1891–1980)