My journey as a football referee began in 2009, and over the past 17 years I’ve officiated over 1,000 amateur football matches across a wide range of leagues and competitions, including more than eight cup finals and international tournament appointments in Sweden.For the majority of my refereeing career, I was based in Edinburgh, officiating week in, week out in fast-paced and highly competitive grassroots environments. Those years in the middle shaped my game management, decision-making, and communication skills, while also reinforcing how essential fitness and mindset are to consistent performance at every level.Managing pressure in high-stakes matches, recovering quickly from mistakes, and physically keeping up with play were just as important as applying the Laws of the Game.These experiences defined my approach to refereeing. Calm under pressure, fair, consistent and always focused on keeping the game flowing while continually developing both on and off the pitch, with one clear mission: helping football referees become fitter, mentally stronger, and more confident — on and off the pitch.
Built In The Middle
Ahmed Rehan
My Why
Refereeing is more than applying the Laws of the Game. It demands physical fitness, mental resilience, and the ability to make calm, confident decisions under pressure week after week. This platform exists to help referees develop all three.Here, I share real-world referee development, match-day fitness guidance, and mindset tools drawn from years in the middle, not textbook theory, but lessons learned on the pitch.Alongside the blog, I mentor aspiring and active referees through short-form video content, podcast episodes, and a private online community, breaking down real match situations, managing pressure, handling criticism, and building confidence from the first whistle to full time.
It's About You
Whether you’re starting your refereeing journey looking to improve your fitness and consistency.Struggling with confidence, pressure, or setbacksOr aiming to progress and take your officiating seriouslyYou’re in the right place.This site is built for referees who want to perform better, feel stronger, and referee with confidence — every game, every decision.Real fitness. Real mindset. Real referee development.
Performance
Recommendations
Refereeing at a higher level requires more than experience alone. The right fitness routines, training habits, and performance tools can make a real difference to how you move, think, and recover on match day.Through this platform, I recommend referee-specific fitness routines designed to help you keep up with play, reduce injury risk, and perform strongly from the first whistle to the final minute. Alongside this, I share carefully selected products and tools that I personally use or trust from recovery and conditioning to match-day preparation all chosen to support your development as a referee.Everything I recommend is aimed at one goal:to help you improve your performance, build confidence, and progress towards the level of refereeing you want to achieve.No gimmicks. No shortcuts. Just practical guidance built from real experience in the middle.
