How many Premier League refs are there?

Referees might not score screamers or celebrate knee-slides in front of the away end, but they’re involved in every single part of a Premier League match.

The tempo, physicality, and atmosphere of a game are all shaped by how they handle themselves. You notice it most in close games or heated challenges. 

When the outcome hinges on a single, sometimes controversial, decision, referees are there. Basically, whether you love them or hate them, referees are a huge part of how football feels to watch. 

Understanding who these officials are and how the system works helps explain why matches feel so different from week to week. The Premier League relies on a core group of referees, and this is how that group is put together.

Are Premier League referees full-time?

Yes, Premier League referees are full-time professionals, employed by the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited).

Being a referee at this level is not a side gig. It’s a full-time job that includes:

• Officiating at weekends and midweek

• Fitness training and conditioning

• Reviewing match footage and decisions

• Meeting with match analysts and referee coaches

• Preparing for specific fixtures and rivalries

In other words, referees have to prepare, plan, and stay sharp, just like the players they officiate.

Do referees get in trouble for bad calls?

Premier League referees are assessed after every match. Everything from decisions, positioning, communication and overall match control are reviewed, both by an assessor in the stadium and by PGMOL staff in the days that follow. 

Officials use VAR footage to comb through key moments to evaluate whether the right calls were made and if situations could be better handled next time. When a referee’s performance isn’t up to par, they may be taken off high-profile fixtures, moved to lower-intensity matches, or relegated to working within the Championship.

It’s not always discussed publicly, but the system is closely monitored, and appointments can shift quickly based on form and consistency.

How many Premier League referees are there?

For the current 2025/26 season, there are around 20 Premier League referees in the Select Group 1, which is the group licensed to referee Premier League fixtures.

The current Select Group 1 lineup:

• Stuart Attwell

• Peter Bankes

• Sam Barrott

• Darren Bond

• Thomas Bramall

• John Brooks

• David Coote

• Darren England

• Jarred Gillett

• Tony Harrington

• Simon Hooper

• Robert Jones

• Chris Kavanagh

• Andy Madley

• Michael Oliver

• Craig Pawson

• Tim Robinson

• Michael Salisbury

• Graham Scott

• Anthony Taylor

• Paul Tierney 

These officials rotate fixtures to avoid repeat appointments that could influence match decisions and reduce the likelihood of bias creeping in. 

Whistle Kings: why referees matter to fans too

Like players, a referee's reputation is widely discussed, so managers definitely know who they’re getting come match-day. For better or for worse. 

There are the ones who try to keep things calm, the ones who let a few tackles fly, and the ones who reach for a card the moment a midfielder gets a bit enthusiastic.

Whistle Kings from Match Bingo is a live leaderboard where those reputations become something you can follow. It tracks how refs handle fouls, when they step in, and how quickly a match can go from calm to chaos depending on who’s in charge.

It’s one of those things fans talk about every week, now it has a name. 

Even the refs can win in our matches…

Refereeing decisions are part of the drama. They change momentum, spark arguments, settle rivalries and, occasionally, light the fuse on a very entertaining ten minutes of football.

Match Bingo lets you follow that in real time. Play along with live bingo cards based on fouls, cards, quick restarts, touchline conversations and all the little moments that make a match feel alive, with exciting chances to play and win as the action unfolds.