Going for promotion is not hard because the games are hard. It is hard because the paperwork is scattered: a games total here, an online module there, an exam window you only hear about in a WhatsApp group. Miss one item and you wait another season.
In England, promotion up to Level 5 is run by your County FA. The criteria differ between counties — this checklist gives you the framework. Confirm the exact numbers with your County FA or Referee Development Officer.
Before the season starts
1. Find your criteria document
Every county publishes its promotion criteria, but they are not always easy to find. Search your county FA website for “referee promotion” or email your Referee Development Officer. Some counties run a season-long window; others run a calendar year or promote quarterly. Know which one applies to you before August.
2. Register and pay any fee
Some counties charge a small promotion fee. Renew your registration for the season and check whether the fee is due upfront or at application. Missing the registration window is the simplest way to delay yourself by a year.
Key question for your RDO
“Which season's criteria apply to me, and where is the document?” Ask this before your first game, not in March.
The games
Games are the core of promotion, but the total alone is not enough. You need the right types of games, logged correctly.
3. Your total and open-age minimum
Published schemes for Level 7 to 6 ask for between 20 and 25 games, with a minimum number at open age. Staffordshire FA requires 25 (at least 10 open age). The Amateur Football Alliance requires 20 appointed 11v11 matches with no more than six at U18. Write your target down in September, not April.
4. What counts: 11v11, appointed, in the window
A qualifying game is typically a 11v11 match for which you were formally appointed, played during the promotion window. Cup games, small-sided, training matches, and friendlies usually do not count. Check your county's rules on cup games specifically — some allow them.
5. Assistant referee games (Level 6 to 5 only)
Most counties require assistant referee appointments for the Level 6 to 5 step. Staffordshire FA and the AFA both require five. These appointments do not come to you — you need to arrange them through your league or area secretary early in the season, before the mid-season slots fill up.
Log every game the same day
Date, competition, age group, role (referee or AR), result. If you rely on memory in January you will have gaps. If you use penalty.app it logs the age group and role automatically so you can see at a glance whether you are on track.
Development and learning
Games get you the numbers, but development work is what counties use to judge whether you are ready to move up.
6. Online modules and seminars
Most counties require a certain number of online development modules or face-to-face events. These are usually available through the FA Learning portal. Some are mandatory; others let you choose. Check your criteria document for the list and complete them before December, not the week before the deadline.
7. The Laws of the Game exam
A Laws of the Game exam is required for most promotions. Counties set their own windows, usually between January and March, with a minimum pass mark. Fail and you typically need to retake the following season. Ask your RDO when the window opens and book it early.
8. Match Day Coach visits
A Match Day Coach (MDC) or observer assessment is often a promotion requirement — some counties need one, others two. MDC visits are arranged through your county, not booked directly. Share your fixture list with whoever coordinates observers in your area and ask early; slots fill up after Christmas.
Save every report
When you receive a Match Day Coach report, save it and note the action points you were given. Counties sometimes ask to see evidence of development alongside your application, and a report with no follow-up raises questions.
Admin that can sink an application
Most failed promotions are not about games or ability. They are about paperwork that did not get done on time.
9. Misconduct reports
Every misconduct report must be filed on time through the Whole Game System. Late reports are a disciplinary matter in themselves, and a pattern of late filings can stall a promotion application. If in doubt about the deadline, check the Whole Game System guidance or ask your league secretary.
10. Check your numbers a month before the deadline
A month before the application deadline, go through each requirement and confirm you have met it. This gives you time to squeeze in a final MDC visit or complete a module you have been putting off. Checking the week before gives you no time to fix anything.
Keep confirmation of your application
Once you submit, save the confirmation email or screenshot. Submissions occasionally get lost, and you need to be able to show you applied on time.
Get the free printable checklist
Everything above on two A4 pages, with a month-by-month plan and the five questions to ask your Referee Development Officer.
Written by a Level 6 referee in London and checked against County FA promotion pages. Sources are listed at the bottom of the PDF.
Month-by-month plan
Use this as a rough guide. Your county's deadline may fall earlier or later.
- August – September
- Read the criteria document, renew registration, contact your RDO, and write down your games target.
- October – December
- Bank the bulk of your open-age games while fixtures are consistent. Book AR appointments now if you are going for Level 5.
- January
- Check your totals against the criteria. Sit the Laws exam if the window is open. Chase MDC or observer visits if you are short.
- February – March
- Fill any gaps (AR games, online modules). Check deadlines. Submit your application and keep confirmation.
Common questions
- How many games do I need to go from Level 7 to Level 6?
- It depends on your County FA. Published schemes ask for between 20 and 25 games, with a minimum number at open age: Staffordshire FA asks for 25 (at least 10 open age), the Amateur Football Alliance for 20 appointed 11v11 matches with no more than six at U18.
- Is there a fitness test for Level 6 to Level 5?
- In the county schemes we checked, no. The fitness test appears from Level 5 to 4 onwards. Level 6 to 5 usually adds assistant referee games and more development work instead.
- Do assistant referee games count towards promotion?
- For Level 6 to 5 they are usually required: both Staffordshire FA and the AFA ask for five games as an assistant referee. Check whether your county counts them towards your main total too.
Track it as you go
The checklist only works if you know your numbers. penalty.app lets you log each match in a few seconds — competition, age group, role — and shows your running totals at a glance, so you know in January whether you are on track, not in April when it is too late.
Start your season log