New armband aims to reduce abuse against young football referees

A third of young football referees in Denmark quit after their first year, but a new initiative by DBU Jylland seeks to retain them by introducing a visible under-18 armband, reports DR.

Mustafa Hamgano, a 16-year-old referee, now wears the distinctive armband to signal his age while officiating youth matches. The pilot project, launched in Midt- and Vestjylland, aims to curb verbal abuse from spectators and coaches.

“I’ve heard adults shout things like ‘Referee, pay attention!’ or ‘Damn it, you useless ref!’,” Hamgano told DR. Despite such experiences, he remains committed to refereeing and believes the armband could improve conditions for young officials.

Kim Fischer Mensbo, HR coordinator and referee development leader at DBU Jylland Region 2, said the armband is designed to make spectators pause before criticising. “The hope is that a visible sign of a young referee will make people think twice before shouting,” he explained.

The initiative follows concerns that aggressive sidelines behaviour contributes to high dropout rates among teenage referees. Hamgano, who has officiated for a year, acknowledged that while conflict is inevitable, the armband may help reduce hostility.

The project is currently being tested in select municipalities in central and western Jutland.