{{Short description|Panel of English professional football referees}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} The '''Select Group''' is a panel of English professional [[Association football|football]] [[Referee (association football)|referees]] and [[Assistant referee (association football)|assistant referees]], appointed by [[Professional Game Match Officials Limited|Professional Game Match Officials]] (PGMO). The group was first formed in 2001, when England became the first country to use fully professional referees in its top flight.<ref name="Guardian-long-read">{{cite web |last1=Ralston |first1=William |title=The impossible job: inside the world of Premier League referees |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/mar/21/inside-world-premier-league-football-referees-pgmol-howard-webb-andre-marriner-darren-england |website=The Guardian |access-date=22 March 2023 |date=21 March 2023}}</ref>
==Select Group officials== In August 2024, the [[Professional Game Match Officials Limited|PGMO]] shared updates to the Select Group officiating panels.
Furthermore, in August 2024, the retirement of [[Rebecca Welch]] was announced. She will become the manager of the Select Group Women's Professional Game at the [[Professional Game Match Officials Limited|PGMO]]. In December 2024, [[David Coote (referee)|David Coote]] was sacked from the [[Professional Game Match Officials Limited|PGMO]], removing him from the Select Group 1 referees list.
There are 19 Select Group 1 referees, 29 Select Group 1 assistant referees, 17 Select Group 2 referees, and 39 Select Group 2 assistant referees.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C-ppbEVMabQ|title=The full list of referees and assistant referees for the 2024/25 #PL season.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C-SiLZmtRUt|title=Here’s the full list of our Select Group 2 match officials for the 2024/25 #EFL season}}</ref><ref name=match-officials>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C77BBFUNMp5|title=We are delighted to confirm the list of match officials who will be operating at higher levels across the men's and women's professional game for the 2024/25 season.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C_QJOzfM5L0|title=A trailblazing referee}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cevgn424jz2o|title=Coote will not appeal against PGMOL dismissal}}</ref>
===Select Group 1 referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * [[Stuart Attwell]] * [[Peter Bankes]] * [[Sam Barrott]] * [[Thomas Bramall|Tom Bramall]] * [[John Brooks (referee)|John Brooks]] * [[Darren England]] * [[Jarred Gillett]] * [[Tony Harrington]] * [[Simon Hooper]] * [[Robert Jones (referee)|Robert Jones]] * [[Chris Kavanagh (referee)|Chris Kavanagh]] * [[Andrew Madley|Andy Madley]] * [[Michael Oliver (referee)|Michael Oliver]] * [[Craig Pawson]] * [[Tim Robinson (referee)|Tim Robinson]] * [[Michael Salisbury]] * [[Anthony Taylor (referee)|Anthony Taylor]] * [[Paul Tierney (referee)|Paul Tierney]] {{div col end}}
===Select Group 1 assistant referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Blake Antrobus * Natalie Aspinall * Simon Bennett * Gary Beswick * Lee Betts * Stuart Burt * Dan Cook * Neil Davies * Nick Greenhalgh * Constantine Hatzidakis * Adrian Holmes * Nick Hopton * Akil Howson * Ian Hussin * Scott Ledger * Simon Long * James Mainwaring * [[Sian Massey-Ellis]] * Steve Meredith * Adam Nunn * Marc Perry * Dan Robathan * Mark Scholes * Eddie Smart * Wade Smith * Craig Taylor * Richard West * Mat Wilkes * Tim Wood {{div col end}}
===Select Group 2 referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * [[Sam Allison]] * Anthony Backhouse * James Bell * John Busby * Matt Donohue * Leigh Doughty * Andrew Kitchen * [[Oliver Langford]] * James Linington * [[Robert Madley]] * Stephen Martin * Tom Nield * Josh Smith * Gavin Ward * David Webb * Dean Whitestone {{div col end}}
===Select Group supplementary referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Farai Hallam * Adam Herczeg * Tom Kirk * Ruebyn Ricardo * Lewis Smith * Ben Toner {{div col end}}
===Select Group 2 assistant referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Jonathan Bickerdike * Conor Brown * George Byrne * Emily Carney * Ian Cooper * Andrew Dallison * Mark Dwyer * Carl Fitch-Jackson * Andrew Fox * Hugh Gilroy * Callum Gough * Jacob Graham * David Harrison * Paul Hodskinson * Shaun Hudson * Robert Hyde * Alex James * Graham Kane * Hristo Karaivanov * Daniel Leach * Sam Lewis * Nigel Lugg * Matthew McGrath * Alistair Nelson * Mark Russell * Bhupinder Singh Gill * Matthew Smith * Mark Stevens * Darren Williams * James Wilson * Richard Woodward {{div col end}}
==Women's Select Group officials== In summer 2023 and summer 2024, the [[Professional Game Match Officials Limited|PGMOL]] provided updates on the promotions of match officials.
There are 17 Women's Super League referees, 30 Women's Super League assistant referees, 24 Women's Championship referees, and 34 Women's Championship assistant referees, although some officials hold dual roles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CwU3NMdsXMk|title=The Select Group Women's Professional Game for the 2023/24 #BarclaysWSL & #BarclaysWC season.}}</ref><ref name=match-officials/>
===Women's Super League referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Lisa Benn * Mel Burgin * [[Abigail Byrne]] * Phoebe Cross * [[Kirsty Dowle]] * [[Amy Fearn]] * [[Cheryl Foster]] * Stacey Fullicks * Christina Hattersley * Emily Heaslip * Lauren Impey * Lucy May * Stacey Pearson * Yasmin Saeed * Jane Simms * Adewunmi Soneye * Megan Wilson {{div col end}}
===Women's Super League assistant referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Natalie Aspinall * Georgia Ball * Nicoleta Bria * Ella Broad * Emily Carney * Lorraine Catchpole * Isabel Chaplin * Abby Dearden * Sophie Dennington * Aaron Ford * Hannah Gardner * Magdalena Golba * Levi Gray * Leoni Harland * Harley Hetherington * Matthew Joyce * Aimee Keir * Grace Lowe * [[Sian Massey-Ellis]] * Lucy-Anne McCann * David Middleton * Callum Parke * Ali Rahjoo * Lisa Rashid * Chloe-Ann Small * Ruby Sykes * Laura Van Lier * Anastasiya Voloshchuk * Lauren Whiteman * Ceri Williams {{div col end}}
===Women's Championship referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Jon Ashworth-Sears * Nicoleta Bria * Ella Broad * Melissa Cairns * Isabel Chaplin * Abby Dearden * Sophie Dennington * Ffion Eade * Aaron Ford * Hannah Gardner * Magda Golba * Levi Gray * Joanne Horwood * Dora Jakab * Aimee Keir * Grace Lowe * David Middleton * Callum Parke * Ali Rahjoo * Chloe-Ann Small * Ruby Sykes * Laura Van Lier * Jade Wardle * Lauren Whiteman {{div col end}}
===Women's Championship assistant referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Folu Aladelusi * Zeyad Ahmed * Katie Allen * Emmanuel Arakopgun * Alex Beeley * Luke Bowles * Josh Brayshaw * Adriana Bucur * Michael Butcher * Josh Dear * Gareth Dunn * Ralph Frostick * Richard Fullicks * Hannah Gardner * Dasa Griffin * Elora Hardstaff * Rosie Johns * Elle-Louise Kaplicz * Joseph Karram * Julia Kings * Maya Korpal * Lee Markwick * Darren McCall * David Mitchell * Amy Purser * Charlotte Sparling Haythornthwaite * Rhiannon Stevens * Daniel Sykes * Emma Taylor * Soada Tushaj * Steven Walsh * Lauren Whiteman * Peter Wilson * Yashar Yekta {{div col end}}
==FIFA international match officials== Among the various Select Group officiating panels, there are 16 referees, 19 assistant referees, and 10 video match officials on the 2025 [[FIFA International Referees List|FIFA International List]], although some hold dual roles.
All officials, except for [[Cheryl Foster]] and Ceri Williams, are listed as English representatives—Foster and Williams are listed as Welsh representatives.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://inside.fifa.com/refereeing/international-referees|title=FIFA International List of Match Officials}}</ref>
===Referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * [[Stuart Attwell]] * [[Sam Barrott]] * Melissa Burgin * [[John Brooks (referee)|John Brooks]] * [[Abigail Byrne]] * [[Kirsty Dowle]] * [[Darren England]] * [[Cheryl Foster]] * [[Jarred Gillett]] * Emily Heaslip * [[Robert Jones (referee)|Rob Jones]] * [[Chris Kavanagh (referee)|Chris Kavanagh]] * [[Andrew Madley|Andy Madley]] * [[Michael Oliver (referee)|Michael Oliver]] * Stacey Pearson * [[Anthony Taylor (referee)|Anthony Taylor]] {{div col end}}
===Assistant referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Georgia Ball * Simon Bennett * Gary Beswick * Nicoleta Bria * Stuart Burt * Emily Carney * Isabel Chaplin * Dan Cook * Neil Davies * Sophie Dennington * Leoni Harland * Ian Hussin * Grace Lowe * James Mainwaring * Lucy McCann * Adam Nunn * Dan Robathan * Anastasiya Voloshchuk * Ceri Williams * Wade Smith {{div col end}}
===Video match officials=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Natalie Aspinall * [[Stuart Attwell]] * [[Peter Bankes]] * Lee Betts * [[Darren England]] * [[Jarred Gillett]] * [[Chris Kavanagh (referee)|Chris Kavanagh]] * [[Andrew Madley|Andy Madley]] * [[Sian Massey-Ellis]] * [[Michael Salisbury]] {{div col end}}
===Notable international appointments=== Some former and current Select Group officials have overseen major international final matches, including: 2 World Cup finals, an Olympic final, 2 European Championship finals, and 5 Champions League finals.
Assistant referee [[Philip Sharp (referee)|Phil Sharp]] was a part of the team for the [[2002 FIFA World Cup final]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/match-report/ma137420/lineup/|title=FIFA World Cup}}</ref>
Assistant referee [[Sian Massey-Ellis]] was a part of the officiating teams for the [[UEFA Women's Euro 2013 final]] and the [[2018 UEFA Women's Champions League final]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0252-0cd39f27a4f5-59d4a27672de-1000--dorcioman-appointed-to-referee-final|title=Dorcioman appointed to referee final}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/news/0245-0e17688495fc-c2ee09bacc01-1000--adamkova-to-referee-women-s-champions-league-final|title=Adámková to referee Women's Champions League final}}</ref>
[[Howard Webb]] adjudicated the [[2010 UEFA Champions League final]] and subsequently the [[2010 FIFA World Cup final]]. Webb was supported on both occasions by assistant referees Darren Cann and Mike Mullarkey.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0252-0cdfec4c5aef-07c475564358-1000--webb-gets-madrid-assignment|title=Webb gets Madrid assignment|date=20 May 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/08/howard-webb-referee-world-cup-final|title=Howard Webb given honour of refereeing World Cup final|newspaper=The Guardian |date=8 July 2010 }}</ref>
[[Mark Clattenburg]] supervised the [[Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament final|2012 Olympic final]], the [[2016 UEFA Champions League final]], and subsequently the [[UEFA Euro 2016 final]]. The assistant referees that supported Clattenburg during these finals, were: Simon Beck, Steve Child, and Jake Collin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/21742/7975314/clattenburg-to-ref-final|title=Clattenburg to ref final}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0252-0cda5ce4af77-2ad7b028d355-1000--clattenburg-to-referee-champions-league-final|title=Clattenburg to referee Champions League final|date=10 May 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81cfcbe7e6-57ea8fd75a27-1000--clattenburg-named-referee-for-uefa-euro-2016-final|title=Clattenburg named referee for UEFA EURO 2016 final|date=8 July 2016 }}</ref>
[[Anthony Taylor (referee)|Anthony Taylor]] officiated the [[2021 UEFA Nations League final]], the [[2022 FIFA Club World Cup final]], and the [[2023 UEFA Europa League final]]. For each final, Taylor was supported by assistant referees Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thefa.com/news/2021/oct/08/anthony-taylor-to-referee-uefa-nations-league-final-20210810|title=English Ref Anthony Taylor and His Team to Take Charge of Spain V France in Milan}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2023/Feb/10/anthony-taylor-gary-beswick-adam-nunn-to-take-charge-of-fifa-club-world-cup-final-20231002|title=English officials get Club World Cup Final call-up}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0281-1812baf4488c-70b9f3974d92-1000/|title=Referee teams appointed for 2023 UEFA club competition finals|date=22 May 2023 }}</ref>
[[Michael Oliver (referee)|Michael Oliver]] refereed the [[2022 UEFA Super Cup]] between [[Real Madrid]] and [[Eintracht Frankfurt]]. He was assisted by Stuart Burt and Simon Bennett.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0278-15c77997baa9-c07d7b92228f-1000/|title=Michael Oliver to referee 2022 UEFA Super Cup with Semi-Automated Offside Technology to be introduced|date=3 August 2022 }}</ref>
[[Cheryl Foster]] oversaw the [[2023 UEFA Women's Champions League final]] between [[FC Barcelona Femení|Barcelona]] and [[VfL Wolfsburg (women)|Wolfsburg]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0281-1812baf4488c-70b9f3974d92-1000/|title=Referee teams appointed for 2023 UEFA club competition finals}}</ref>
[[Rebecca Welch]] officiated the [[2024 UEFA Women's Champions League final]] between [[FC Barcelona Femení|Barcelona]] and [[Olympique Lyonnais Féminin|Lyon]]. She was assisted by Natalie Aspinall and Emily Carney.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/028d-1ae109919f08-661e0d65ffdb-1000|title=Referee teams for 2024 UEFA club competition finals announced|date=13 May 2024 }}</ref>
==Former Select Group officials== ===Select Group 1=== ===Referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * [[Martin Atkinson]] * [[Graham Barber]] * [[Neale Barry]] * [[Steve Bennett (referee)|Steve Bennett]] * [[Darren Bond]] * [[Mark Clattenburg]] * [[David Coote (referee)|David Coote]] * [[Mike Dean (referee)|Mike Dean]] * [[Phil Dowd]] * [[Steve Dunn (referee)|Steve Dunn]] * [[Paul Durkin]] * [[Andy D'Urso]] * [[Roger East (referee)|Roger East]] * [[David Elleray]] * [[Chris Foy (referee)|Chris Foy]] * [[Kevin Friend]] * [[Dermot Gallagher]] * [[Mark Halsey]] * [[Mike Jones (referee)|Mike Jones]] * [[Peter Jones (referee)|Peter Jones]] * [[Barry Knight (referee)|Barry Knight]] * [[Andre Marriner]] * [[Lee Mason]] * [[Matt Messias]] * [[Jon Moss (referee)|Jon Moss]] * [[Graham Poll]] * [[Lee Probert]] * [[Uriah Rennie]] * [[Mike Riley (referee)|Mike Riley]] * [[Graham Scott (referee)|Graham Scott]] * [[Keith Stroud]] * [[Rob Styles]] * [[Neil Swarbrick]] * [[Steve Tanner (referee)|Steve Tanner]] * [[Peter Walton (referee)|Peter Walton]] * [[Howard Webb]] * [[Alan Wiley]] * [[Jeff Winter]] * [[Eddie Wolstenholme]] {{div col end}}
===Assistant referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Stephen Artis * Nigel Bannister * Guy Beale * Simon Beck * Charles Breakspear * Dave Bryan * Mike Bull * Andrew Butler * Mike Cairns * [[Darren Cann (assistant referee)|Darren Cann]] * Stephen Child * Jake Collin * Derek Eaton * John Flynn * Ron Ganfield * Andy Garratt * Ian Gosling * Andy Halliday * Patrick Keane * Nick Kinseley * Peter Kirkup * Harry Lennard * Rob Lewis * Trevor Massey * Mo Matadar * Mick McDonough * Dean Mohareb * Mike Mullarkey * Michael Murphy * Andy Newbold * Marc Perry * Bob Pollock * Shaun Procter-Green * Ceri Richards * David Richardson * Philip Sharp * Billy Smallwood * John Stokes * Gary Stott * Paul Thompson * Glenn Turner * Adam Watts * Andy Williams * Martin Yerby {{div col end}}
===Select Group 2=== These officials made it to Select Group 2, but not Select Group 1.
===Referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * James Adcock * [[Andy Davies (referee)|Andy Davies]] * [[Scott Duncan (referee)|Scott Duncan]] * [[Geoff Eltringham]] * Jeremy Simpson * Andy Woolmer * [[Rebecca Welch]] {{div col end}}
===Assistant referees=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Christopher Akers * David Avent * Andrew Aylott * Nik Barnard * Darren Blunden * Adam Crysell * Philip Dermott * Matthew Foley * Mike George * Jonathan Hunt * Mark Jones * Matthew Jones * Geoffrey Liddle * Adam Matthews * Tony Peart * Mark Pottage * Greg Read * Geoff Russell * Rob Smith * Dean Treleaven * Lee Venamore * Richard Wild {{div col end}}
==See also== * [[Professional Referee Organization]]
==References== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==Promotion and retirement links== {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/60584 |title=Attwell and Tierney promoted to Select Group}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/444399 |title=Chris Kavanagh called upon to officiate in the 2017/18 Premier League}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/686452 |title=Jones and Swarbrick to call time on careers}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/789384 |title=Four fresh faces, including two referees, will officiate in 2018/19 after being promoted to Select Group 1}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/1206165 |title=Child and Halliday to retire as assistant referees}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/1214142 |title=East blows full-time on career as referee}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/1241817 |title=Bankes and Madley promoted for new season}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/1356054 |title=Probert calls time on refereeing career}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/1753412 |title=Referees England and Jones promoted to Select Group 1}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/2146730 |title=Mason to call time on 15-year career}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/news/2021/june/efl-match-officials-confirmed-for-202122-season |title=EFL Match Officials confirmed for 2021/22 season}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/2175938 |title=Four new referees for 2021/22 Premier League}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/mike-dean-jon-moss-retiring-27014010 |title=The men, the cards, the ire: Farewell Mike Dean, Martin Atkinson, and Jon Moss |website=[[Daily Mirror]] |date=20 May 2022}} * {{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/06/21/exclusive-premier-league-facing-shortfall-experienced-referees |title=Premier League facing shortfall of experienced referees as Kevin Friend steps down |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=21 June 2022 |last1=Wallace |first1=Sam}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/2641217 |title=Four new officials for 2022/23 Premier League}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/3495836 |title=Referee Marriner announces retirement}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/3614159 |title=What's new for 2023/24: Match officials}} {{div col end}}
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