When it comes to football, youngsters are often drawn to the glitz and glamour of being a player or a coach. That means there are now far fewer referees – particularly female referees – in Sweden and across Europe. Research has shown that among the possible explanations, a key problem is that referees feel isolated. The job is far from easy, with high stakes and scrutiny everywhere. As part of the legacy programme for this year’s Women’s Under-17 Championship, UEFA and the Swedish Football Association (SvFF) hope to create an environment where referees feel a sense of unity and focus on the positive aspects of officiating through the 'Be a Referee!' programme.
Who better to walk us through the ins and outs of life as a match official than Swedish referee Tess Olofsson? As an ambassador for this year’s tournament, she explains that there is a lot to love about the role. Having taken charge of the Women’s Nations League final and games in the Women’s World Cup and become the first woman to oversee a Swedish men’s top-flight game as well as collecting numerous individual accolades, her knowledge of the game makes for a wonderful conversation. "When I was 13, I played for a local football club outside Malmö, and they had a big tournament with many teams taking part. Every team was asked if they could help with volunteer referees and that’s when I got my first experience of it," Olofsson begins. "I have a huge passion for the game and I wanted to be involved in different roles. I played as a goalkeeper initially, but due to injuries I decided to continue as a referee, and I enjoyed it a lot." Although she sometimes misses her playing days, she has made great strides forward, being named the best referee in Sweden five times. So, what’s her matchday routine? "I spend a lot of time with my team," she says. "We go on walks, have coffee breaks and I also have a power nap in the afternoon! Before the match, we have a debrief where we talk about the game, check the teams, the players and how they play to prepare. And then we just try to stay positive and get into a good mindset."
Positivity is key in such a high-pressure job, but the level-headed Olofsson has learned to deal with the stress very well. "Sometimes it’s really hard because we all make mistakes at times. I speak with my colleagues, my team, and I have coaches to help me analyse everything afterwards," she explains. "Before the World Cup I was also working with a mentor, and it was very nice to have weekly contact with her to find things I can improve on to make better decisions. I also try to learn the players’ names because I think it’s much nicer to call them by their name than their number." A lovely personal touch that shows how she thinks about the job from every angle. Touching upon the subject of isolation as a referee, Olofsson explains that despite all the challenges, there is a lot of support and camaraderie to be found for those who take up the role. "The talent mentor programme in Sweden was great for me," she says. "Now I’m actually one of the mentors for younger referees, but I had one myself in Sweden initially and that’s a great way to develop and improve your skills. You get the support you need and feedback after games. I also speak to my referee colleagues a lot so that we can work well as a team when we share the field. We talk about the reading of the game, positioning, how to deal with set pieces and also how to deal with the players. Management and leadership is really important, so we respect each other."
