NEW DELHI: In a first for Indian football, the first batch of elite match officials (referees and assistant referees) have been inducted into the system with full-time contracts.
A joint investment of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its commercial partners, the Elite Refereeing Development Plan (ERDP), in keeping with the outlines of 'Vision 2047', aims to make refereeing a viable career pathway in the Indian football ecosystem.
The first batch consists of eight referees and as many assistant referees. The next batch of professional match officials will be announced in 2024.
AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said, "A game of football cannot be conducted without a referee, and therefore it is a core area of focus for us. By employing referees full time, we will make sure they get the right kind of training, attention, support and also have financial security.
"A measure like this will incentivise the profession, hopefully make refereeing an attractive proposition and draw more of them into the system, especially at the grassroots. This would help our competition structure hugely.
"At the end of the day, in line with the strategic roadmap, we want to see our referees officiate at the World Cup in the future," he added.
The professional match official organisation will also be bolstered by a coaching system that supports match officials operating in the ISL and I-League and those selected for the Elite Talent Pool from 2023-24 season.
High level technical training will be shared with the Heads of Referees within Member Associations. This will ensure that the gap in law interpretation is minimised and best practices shared with every referee who desires to develop their skills.
