The Football Australia Elite Refereeing Department, in collaboration with the Referees Committee, has officially announced the Match Officials Panels for the upcoming 2025/26 A-Leagues seasons.
CLICK HERE to view the full Match Officials Panels for 2025/26
Following a thorough and competitive selection process, this season’s A-League Men’s and Women’s panels feature a strong mix of seasoned referees and emerging officiating talent. This ensures the continued high standard of officiating for what is widely regarded as one of the most dynamic football competitions in the world.
South Australian Officials Recognised
South Australia will once again be well represented on the national stage, with five officials named across the A-League Men’s and Women’s panels. Congratulations to:
Daniel Elder (Football SA)
Henry Day (Football SA)
Izzy Cooper (Football SA)
Ellie Seaton (Football SA)
Paula Orlandi (Football SA)
Their inclusion is a testament to the strength of the officiating development pathway in South Australia and their continued excellence at the elite level.
Standout Selections
Leading the selections this season are the two 2024/25 Referees of the Year:
Izzy Cooper (ALW) – now a dual honoree and one of South Australia’s finest.
Adam Kersey (ALM) – recognised for his outstanding performances in the men’s competition.
Also joining the national panels are several promising debutants, including Lucy Hungerford (NNSW Football), who makes her first appearance at this level.
Farewell to Retiring Officials
Football Australia extends its sincere gratitude to the following officials who have retired from the A-Leagues’ Match Officials Panel since last season:
Andre Giev (Football NSW)
Ryan Gallagher (NNSW Football)
Sarah Ho (Football QLD)
Kelly Jones (Football NSW)
Josh Manella (Football WA)
Janelle Sammut (Football VIC)
Jasmine Steger (Football VIC)
David Walsh (Football QLD)
Joanna Charaktis (Football VIC)
In addition, several New Zealand-based officials will return to their respective Member Associations while remaining eligible for future A-Leagues selections:
CK Kiwana-Waugh
Edward Cook
Gareth Sheehan
Beth Rattray
Heloise Welch
From Football Australia's Refereeing Leaders
Jon Moss, Head of Refereeing at Football Australia, stated:
“After a record-breaking year for the A-Leagues, there is no doubt the contribution of Australian officials to these results continues to see them highly regarded in world football.
These panels have a strong balance of established and emerging officials. Our program will continue to evolve from last season, seeking to elevate our standards to be at world-class levels and play our role in delivering a strong playing environment for what will be an even better season ahead for the A-Leagues.”
Alan Shortall, General Manager of Elite Refereeing, added:
“Having four debutants on the A-League Men’s Grand Final, including our first female assistant referee in Emma Kocbek, shows our ethos of rewarding performance across a season.
Adam Kersey and Izzy Cooper officiating their respective A-League Grand Finals as debutant referees shows in all aspects our commitment to developing and selecting world-class, high-performance officials.”