The Referee Committee

The Referee Committee is a text- and UI-based strategy and simulation game about football conspiracies and behind-the-scenes power struggles. You manage a referee committee, make decisions that shape the season, and try to keep your position, which is harder than gaining it.

Leagues and seasons

Choose a country and play through historic seasons across 10 leagues. The game includes Scotland in 2025/26 and England in 2015/16, as well as other countries and eras. Referees age and retire, making way for new generations as the committee changes from season to season.

Decisions at VAR

Matches are simulated, but critical moments bring you to the VAR monitor. In timed Quick Time Events, you decide how to rule on controversial incidents. You might cancel a valid goal to please a powerful club president or award an unfair penalty to protect yourself.

Manage the committee

Each referee has traits, a hometown, a favorite team and personal biases. Assign referees to matches to influence the league: a “Fanboy” may favor his favorite team, while a “Gambler” may ignore your instructions to win his own bets. You can use what you learn about referees’ weaknesses to assign them to suitable—or unsuitable—matches.

You can also give referees secret instructions before matches, such as “Home Win,” “Over 3 Goals” or “Both Teams See Red.” High-integrity referees or those who cave under pressure may not carry out your plans.

Balance competing interests

Your decisions affect Trust with the Federation President, Club Presidents, the Media, Fans and the underground Betting Mafia. Clubs may sign a petition to fire you if you push them too far, while betraying the mafia could lead to an assassination attempt.

At the end of each week, read newspaper headlines reflecting the consequences of your actions. You may face club revolts and leaked match-fixing scandals, or use the mafia’s “special favors” to forcefully remove complaining club presidents.