Victoria’s referee community came together at The Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne on Friday, September 18, to celebrate another season of officiating at the Football Victoria (FV) Referee Awards Night.
The annual event brought together referees from across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria, recognising the dedication, achievement and contribution of officials across all levels of the game throughout the 2026 season.
2026 Victorian Referees Night Photo Album
Hosted by NPL Victoria commentator Josh Parish, the evening welcomed a packed crowd, with CEO Dan Birrell among those in attendance.
Reflecting on a big year for refereeing, Football Victoria Head of Referees Tom Elliott looked back on the achievements of Victorian match officials.
“From suburban parks to the Azteca and the grandest stages of all, Victorian match officials have been on show and putting in the hard yards all year,” he said.
“It’s a great night to come together and celebrate the year that was. In 2026, we also saw a major increase in registration numbers, which is a great reflection of the growth of refereeing and the work being done across Victoria.”
The night provided an opportunity for the Victorian refereeing community to come together, reflect on the season and recognise the officials who have made a significant contribution both on and off the field.
Football Victoria extends its sincere thanks to every referee across the state for their commitment, professionalism and dedication to the game throughout 2026, while congratulating all award winners recognised on the night.
A full list of the 2026 Football Victoria Referee Awards winners is below.
Award Winners
Rising Star Award
This award is awarded to the highest-performing officials from the talent pool program, who have demonstrated enormous potential and commitment throughout 2026.
- Lynn Cho Man Yan
- Matthew Maroulis
Futsal Awards
Awarded to the best performing Male and Female Futsal referees throughout 2026.
- Maria Patrikis
- Adrian Attard
State League Awards
Awarded to top performing referees across the State League program.
- Jonathan Freeman
- Ben Hosken
Local Hero
Awarded for outstanding dedication to the refereeing community and helped to foster a positive culture within refereeing circles and the wider football family.
- Lauren White
- Andrew McBurnie
- Ben Reeve
Whistle Of Hope
An extremely special award honouring the late Hary Milas' legacy. Hary was a highly respected and much-loved member of not only the refereeing community, but the entire football community. He championed many great causes and was renowned for his dedication, positivity, and selflessness.
- Ryan Scott (Preston Lions FC)
NPL Men's Referee Awards
Awarded to the best-performing referee and assistant referee of the 2025 NPL Men's season.
- Referee: Adam Bavcar
- Assistant Referee: Luke Gennimatas
NPL Women's Referee Awards
Awarded to the best-performing referee and assistant referee of the 2025 NPL Women's season.
- Referee of the Year: Angelique Mangion
- Assistant Referee of the Year: Helena Panagiotidis
Referees Referee of the Year
Voted on by the referees to highlight a peer(s) who has consistently demonstrated excellence throughout the season.
- Lucas Mattia
- Michael Ouliaris
Community Referee of the Year
Presented to Match Officials who display the core values of Community Football, going above and beyond in their commitment to the game.
- Robyn Alhajji
- Davide Di Francesco
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