Football Queensland (FQ) has today announced a new initiative for first year referees for the 2020 season.

All registered first year referees will wear a teal shirt for matches in 2020 so that they can be identified as new referees throughout the season.

This initiative has been implemented to encourage respect and support for first year referees, and to assist in providing a welcoming environment for referees who are new to the game.

The teal shirt initiative aligns with the recently-released 2020-2022 Strategic Plan for football in Queensland, which outlines a focus on bettering the experience for all involved in the game over the next three years.

FQ has also identified the need to increase the number of referees throughout the state through greater support and development, and by providing high-quality participation experiences.

In line with this, a number of other referee initiatives will be rolled out in the coming months, focusing on improving recruitment, retention and support of referees in Queensland.