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Referee / Umpire
Enforces rules during sports matches — makes split-second decisions under enormous pressure.
Did you know?
Video assistant referees made their World Cup debut in 2018, and the very first VAR decision gave France a penalty against Australia.
How subjects help
- Law: Know the rulebook inside out and apply every rule fairly to both teams.
- Physical Education: Stay fit enough to keep up with play for a whole match and stay close to the action.
- Psychology: Keep calm when players and fans argue and never let pressure sway a decision.
- Communication: Explain decisions clearly with signals and words so players accept them.
A famous name
Pierluigi Collina: Italian referee voted the world's best referee six years running (1998–2003); he refereed the 2002 World Cup final.
Try it yourself: Be the referee
- Situation 1: a player scores from behind the line, but their foot is on it. How many points?
- Situation 2: a player takes three steps holding the ball, then scores. Does it count?
- Situation 3: the ball bounces off the ceiling and into the basket. What happens?
- Where was the rulebook unclear? Rewrite that rule so nobody can argue.
Referees apply the same rules fairly to both sides, in a split second, and explain their decisions calmly.
Also try: Plan a game everyone can play.
Known for it in
UK, USA, Germany, Australia, Japan