In partnership with the Papua New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA), the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) successfully carried out a Referee Instructors Course at the PNGFA Education Center in Lae, Morobe province, from May 4th-8th, 2026.

Bringing together 24 referee instructors and accessors from Member Associations across Papua New Guinea, the five-day workshop is aimed at bolstering refereeing standards and strengthening development pathways nationwide.

The program further aimed to support the continued growth and development of Member Association referee structures

Participants included representatives from the newly recognized Alotau Soccer Association, with Muriel Bayagau and Gibson Tala attending the program, alongside Gordon Torovu and Terence Bando from the Wewak Soccer Association.

While the program seeks to strengthen referee coaching and instructional skills, it also provided updates on the 2025/2026 Laws of the Game and modern refereeing expectations.

Facilitation was led by Regional Referee Development Officer Ben Niso, assisted by FIFA Instructor and Head of Refereeing Department Jimmy Warai, Referee Development Officer Samol Minan, and Regional Fitness Instructor Kennedy Yambundimi.

The initiative reflects the continued commitment of OFC and PNGFA to investing in referee education and raising officiating standards across all levels of football in Papua New Guinea.