Professional Game Match Officials Limited

Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) is the body responsible for refereeing games in English professional football.

Formerly known as the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOB), the PGMOL was formed when English referees became professional in 2001, to provide officials for all games played in the Premier League, English Football League (EFL) and Football Association (FA) competitions.[1] In doing so, England became the first country in the world to fully professionalise its referees.[1] The organisation is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee owned and funded by the Premier League, EFL, and the FA.[2][3]

Staff
Employee Title
Danielle EveryChief Operating Officer[4]
Howard WebbChief Refereeing Officer[5]
Adam Gale-WattsSelect Group Referees Director[6]
Dr Steve McNallyPerformance Support Director[4]
Wayne AllisonCoaching Director[4]
Bibiana Steinhaus-WebbWomen's Select Group Director[7]
Mike JonesNational Group Director[8]
Jon MossSelect Group 1 Manager[7]
Kevin FriendSelect Group 2 Manager[6]
Martin AtkinsonSelect Group 1 Coach[7]
Alan WileyReferee Coach[8]
Mike MullarkeyHead of Assistant Referees[9]
Rebecca SmithReferee Coach[7]
Steve ChildAssistant Referee Coach[10]
Chris FoyHead of Community and Public Engagement[11]
Richard BeebyInternational Referee Development Manager[12]
Paul RussellHead of Psychology[13]
Simon BreivikHead of Fitness and Medical[14]

Evaluation

The Select Group referees meet twice per month for training sessions and analysis of match videos and data.[2]

The PGMOL have their own sports scientists, sports psychologists, physiotherapists, sprint coaches, podiatrists and vision scientists which mirror football clubs to help improve referee performance.

Every Premier League match is evaluated by a former senior referee to measure the referee's technical performance, along with fellow players and managers (match delegates) who assess accuracy and consistency of their decision making and management of their game to ensure the correct result[2]

Sponsorship

The PGMOL changed its sponsorship for the 2010–11 season from Air Asia to its parent group, Tune Group.

For the 2012–13 season Expedia sponsored the officials,[15] but this agreement ended after a year.

For the start of the 2013–14 Premier League season PGMOL had no sponsor, but part way through the season EA Sports signed a long term agreement which saw their logo on the arms of all officials in the Premier League and EFL until 2019.[16]

Controversies

Mark Halsey claim

In September 2016, Mark Halsey, a former member and referee, claimed that PGMOL asked him to lie in match reports. PGMOL denied the claim, and no further action was taken.[17][18]

Employment status

In 2020, HMRC challenged the employment status of PGMOL appointed referees. The tax authority's case centred on the claim that referees should be treated as employees. However, the courts sided with PGMOL in handing down a decision that their referees are indeed self-employed.[19]

References
  1. Ralston, William (21 March 2023). "The impossible job: inside the world of Premier League referees". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  2. "Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) group officiate all Premier League matches", Premier League, retrieved 18 February 2022
    "Professional Game Match Officials", Premier League, 14 December 2012, archived from the original on 17 December 2012
  3. Corporate information from UK Companies House at https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/04195554/filing-history
  4. "New appointments to Leadership Team".
  5. "Webb to become Chief Refereeing Officer at PGMOL".
  6. Wallace, Sam (21 June 2022). "Premier League facing shortfall of experienced referees as Kevin Friend steps down". The Telegraph.
  7. "Premier League to undergo 'radical referee shake-up' after clubs complain over declining standards". 24 June 2022.
  8. "Dave Allison to retire after 42 years of service".
  9. "PGMOL".
  10. "PGMOL".
  11. "PGMOL".
  12. "We want to create a pathway for Indian referees to reach elite level".
  13. "For me well-being is like a cup".
  14. "PGMOL".
  15. "Expedia Signs Up As Official Sponsor Of Professional Referees And Match Officials". Expedia. Archived from the original on 14 April 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  16. "EA SPORTS becomes long-term partner of PGMOL", Premier League, 20 January 2014, archived from the original on 15 February 2014
  17. Rumsby, Ben (4 September 2016). "Mark Halsey reveals incident he claims he was told to lie about by referee bosses as Gary Neville calls for investigation". The Telegraph – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  18. "Mark Halsey: Professional Game Match Officials Limited denies former referee's lie claims". BBC Sport. 3 September 2016.
  19. "HMRC v Professional Game Match Officials Ltd". Tax Journal. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
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