Read this first
Match report or misconduct report: what are you writing?
New referees often use one word, “report”, for two different jobs.
- A match report records the fixture: the result and the basic facts your competition asks for.
- A misconduct report describes one disciplinary incident, such as a sending-off or an extraordinary incident. It is the document this guide is about.
For grassroots football in England, The FA's Grassroots Discipline support page on reporting misconduct explains the online steps. At the time of writing, it tells you to select extraordinary incident, choose the team (or both teams, or “not sure”), say whether the match was abandoned because of the incident, add the report and then add the details. If the offender is not on the list, you can enter their name yourself, and it goes to the County FA to investigate. The page says nothing about deadlines or exactly what to write, so ask your County FA or referee secretary for the deadline and any guidance on content.
Older guides still circulate online, including some written when reports went by post. Treat anything that does not match the current online process with caution.
What to record at the time of the incident
You will not remember the exact minute or the exact words on Tuesday evening. Capture them in the moment, as briefly as you like, and write the report from those notes. Six things cover almost every incident:
- Minute
- The minute of the incident, as close as you can. Your watch or match clock gives you this.
- Who
- The team, the shirt number and the name if you know it. For a sending-off, check it with the captain or the team sheet afterwards.
- What
- The offence in plain words: where the player was, what they did, and what happened to the opponent.
- What was said
- The exact words, in quotation marks, including anything said as you showed the card.
- What you did
- The decision and the card, any advantage you played, and the restart.
- Who saw it
- Assistants, club officials or anyone else who was close enough to see or hear it, with their roles.
Facts, not judgements
The reader was not there. Give them the facts and let them reach the conclusion.
Write this
At 63 minutes, number 6 (Rivertown) tackled the opponent’s number 11 from the side with both feet off the ground, studs showing, and made contact with the shin.
Not this
Number 6 made a nasty, reckless challenge.
“Nasty” and “reckless” are your conclusions. The facts let the reader reach the same one.
Write this
Number 6 said, “You’re a joke, ref,” in a raised voice as I showed the card.
Not this
Number 6 was very abusive towards me.
Quote the words. “Very abusive” tells the County FA nothing they can check.
Let your wrist keep the notes
With penalty.app on Apple Watch, Pro lets you log a card in a few taps: caution or sending-off, team, shirt number and the offence code (C1–C7 for cautions, S1–S7 for sending-offs). When you save and sync, the events appear in the match record on your phone, so the minute, number and code are already there when you sit down to write. The words said, and what you saw, still come from you. See the Apple Watch guide for setup.
Worked example: a sending-off report
This example is fictional: made-up teams, players and incident. It shows the order and level of detail to aim for, not a template to copy. It is written for a red card for serious foul play (code S1 in the FA's offence list).
Match: Rivertown FC Reserves v Hillside United Reserves, Sunday 14 September, Example League Division 3.
Person sent off: Number 6, Rivertown FC Reserves (name confirmed by the captain after the match).
Minute: 63.
Incident: The ball was played out wide to Hillside number 11. Rivertown number 6 approached from the side and tackled him with both feet off the ground, studs showing, at speed. His studs made contact with number 11's left shin. I was about 12 metres away with a clear view. Number 11 fell and stayed down for around two minutes.
Decision: I stopped play and awarded a direct free kick to Hillside. I showed a red card to number 6 for serious foul play because the challenge used excessive force and endangered the safety of an opponent.
Words used: As I showed the card, number 6 said, “You're a joke, ref.” He then left the field without further incident.
Others present: Both clubs' assistants were present but did not signal for the incident. The Hillside manager asked how long number 11 would need to recover; I explained that I had sent number 6 off for serious foul play and made no other comment.
Why it works
- It follows the order the incident happened in.
- It states where you were and what you could see, so the reader can judge your view.
- It quotes the words used and records them separately from the offence.
- It says what you did and why in plain terms, without inventing a motive for the player.
Worked example: reporting further misconduct
Not every report follows a card. You may need to report something that happened to you, or around the match, after a player has already been dealt with, or with no player involved at all. In the FA's online process, this is the kind of event described as an extraordinary incident. If you are not sure whether an event needs reporting, ask your County FA before you decide it does not.
Match: Rivertown FC Reserves v Hillside United Reserves, Sunday 14 September, Example League Division 3.
Person involved: The Hillside United Reserves manager (name not on the match card; entered as given by the club secretary).
Time: Approximately five minutes after the final whistle, in the car park next to the changing rooms.
What happened: The manager approached me while I was carrying my bag to my car. He stood about one metre from me and said in a raised voice, “You cost us this game, you shouldn't be allowed to referee.” I said I would not discuss the match and that he could contact the league. He repeated the comment twice and followed me for about ten metres. He did not touch me.
Who else was present: The Rivertown assistant (name unknown) was nearby and may have heard it. No other officials were present.
Action taken: I drove away. I made these notes in my car at once, and I am submitting this report as soon as I got home.
What to notice
- It records where and when the event happened and how it relates to the match.
- It records the exact words, and what was not done (“He did not touch me”). A calm report is more credible than a dramatic one.
- It admits what you do not know, such as the name of a witness.
- If the person is not listed in the system, you can enter their name, as described on the FA page above.
Check, submit and keep your records
Before you submit
- Have you named the right person, team and shirt number?
- Are the minute, place and sequence of events correct and consistent?
- Are quoted words in quotation marks, and only the words actually said?
- Have you separated what you saw from what you were told?
- Have you removed opinions, guesses and anything you cannot support?
- Have you picked the right report type and offence in the system?
- Do you know your County FA's deadline, and have you left time to meet it?
After you submit
- Keep a copy of the text and the date you submitted it.
- Keep your match notes, even if they are rough.
- If you are contacted about the case, answer from your report and notes, not from memory.
- Tell your referee mentor or secretary if the incident rattled you. A first red card is a big moment.
Keep the whole match in one place
penalty.app keeps your fixture and your card events together on the match record, and its Reports section can produce draft misconduct report text from the details you enter and save your past reports. Read it through, check it against your notes and your County FA's instructions, and edit it before you submit it through the FA system. The report is always your own account.
See how cards and codes work on Apple Watch →FAQ
- How long should a referee report be?
- Long enough to give the facts and no longer. Write what you saw and heard, in order, with the minute, the people involved and the words used. There is no ideal word count, so follow any guidance your County FA gives you.
- What is the difference between a match report and a misconduct report?
- A match report records the result and the basic facts of the fixture for your competition. A misconduct report describes a specific disciplinary incident, such as a sending-off or an extraordinary incident. Your competition and County FA say which ones they expect from you.
- Is there an official referee report example I can copy?
- The two examples on this page are fictional and written to show the style, not to be copied word for word. Your report must describe what you personally saw and heard in your match.
- Can I ask someone to check my first report?
- Yes. Many county and league referee secretaries and mentors are happy to read a first report before you submit it, as long as the facts stay your own. Ask them rather than guessing.
- What should I do if I forgot to note something at the time?
- Write down what you do remember as soon as you can, and say plainly in the report if you are unsure of a detail. Never fill a gap with a guess.