How to Become a Football Referee in Cameroon & Abroad

A football referee, more generally called a football official, is one of the most important persons in a football game. In this article, we will tell you how you can become a football referee in Cameroon.

Who is a Football Referee?

A football referee is an individual who is appointed to oversee a football game. Their role is to ensure the proper application of the laws of the game and player safety and to enforce fair play during a football match. 

Generally, anyone can play the role of a referee in an unofficial or amateur game, but to become a professional referee in any country, you must be affiliated with the football federation of that country.

How to Become a Football Referee in Cameroon & Abroad

The exact procedure may vary slightly from one region to another, but generally, FECAFOOT may request the recruitment of a specific number of football officials per season. When this call is made, candidates can enter the recruitment process through the divisional or regional representatives of FECAFOOT, depending on the level of entry or re-entry.

What is The Procedure For The Recruitment of Referees In Cameroon?

In order to become a football referee in Cameroon, you must fulfill at least five key requirements:

1. Academic Requirement
2. mastery of the FIFA Laws of the game
3. Medical Aptitude Test
4. Physical Aptitude Test
5. Viva Voce & Written Examination

1. Academic Requirement: 

Football Referees are usually expected to fill in forms and give reports on a range of issues, e.g., post-match reports and others. Therefore, anyone wishing to become a referee must be able to read and write at least one official language (English or French). 

For this reason, Prove of a minimum academic qualification may be required in the form of an Ordinary level certificate or its equivalence.

2. Mastery of The 17 Laws of The Game: 

To be a football referee, you are expected to ensure that the laws of the game are respected throughout the match. Since the laws of the game are constantly updated, there is usually a presentation of the most updated FIFA laws of the game to candidates. This is to make sure the candidate masters all the laws of the game.

3. Medical Aptitude Test

Being a referee requires a lot of physical, emotional, and psychological activity. Medical tests such as blood sugar level, blood pressure, and ECG are usually carried out. ECG (Electrocardiogram) is a test that records the electrical signals from your heart and is used to determine different heart conditions.

Learn more: FECAFOOT Announces Date for Selection of Match Officials.

4. Physical Tests

The physical tests are by far the most important of all the tests. They are designed to determine the physical fitness of the candidates. These physical tests are divided into two phases; the sprinting test and the resistance test.

The Sprinting test helps to show the referee's ability to accelerate quickly and keep up with the pace of a match. The candidate is required to cover a 40-meter distance in about six seconds. Part of the sprinting test also requires the candidate to sprint over short distances of 10m while moving side to side and changing direction constantly.

The resistance test determines the candidate's ability to withstand the duration of a football match. It involves doing 40 laps around a 75-meter track or a distance equivalent to 2500 meters.

5. Viva Voce & Written Examination

The Viva Voce is an oral evaluation where different match situations are displayed on a screen for the candidate to interpret and call the right decision. While the written part of the exams usually involves 20 multiple questions to be answered by the candidate. 

How Are Referees Classified?

Depending on the level which was entered, a candidate must register a score of 15 or higher to be considered successful in the written test and hence recognized as a professional referee. Generally, referees in Cameroon are classified into the following groups:

• Divisional or probationary category: Can officiate amateur league games (must be 15 years and above)

• Regional Category: can officiate regional league games

• National Category: Can officiate ELITE championship games ( you must be at most 30 years before being admitted at the National level)

After the entry-level, referees can be promoted, demoted, or maintained in their respective categories depending on their performances in officiating games and the results of subsequent tests. 

However, since 2022, the new administration of FECAFOOT has embarked on training and recruiting thousands of young referees. 

The training and recruitment of referees follows the basic principle in all countries affiliated to FIFA with only very slight modifications. The procedure for the recruitment of linesmen is also similar to this, only with slight modifications in the physical test where the emphasis is laid on running in straight lines.

Also Read: 

• How to Become a Licensed FIFA Football Agent in Cameroon & Abroad
• How to Register a Football Academy in Cameroon