*This content was translated by AI.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) has rolled up its sleeves to nurture the next generation of international and professional referees.
On the 30th of last month, the KFA held the '2026 KFA Referee Academy (S·A·B Course) Integrated Orientation' at Cheonan Korea Football Park. This marks the first time that the previously separate training programs by grade have been consolidated into a single unified referee development roadmap.
The KFA has established a step-by-step referee development pyramid by benchmarking the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Academy system. The system begins with the B Course (for low-age groups at Grade 3 and below) to discover regional referees, progresses to the A Course (for low-age groups at Grades 1–2) to cultivate core referees for amateur leagues, and culminates in the S Course (preparing adult elites) to train top-tier personnel for the K League and international stages.
The KFA grants opportunities for the next stage of training only to referees who pass strict evaluations at each stage. Ultimately, outstanding referees who excel in the S Course will be admitted to the AFC Academy, the gateway to becoming international referees, through KFA recommendations.
About 60 referees from each course attended the orientation. They received intensive training not only on the fundamental qualities and technical skills of referees but also on essential communication abilities and ethical awareness required on the international stage.
Starting with this event, the KFA will launch course-specific, continuous communication channels. The association plans to implement a practical and diverse curriculum throughout the year, including non-face-to-face and in-person training, physical conditioning, and lectures by invited foreign instructors from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
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*This content was translated by AI.
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