Duty Officers.
A Duty Officer — or Ground Official — is the easy-to-spot volunteer who keeps match day safe, fair and welcoming for everyone: players, match officials and families alike. You’ll know them by their bright high-visibility vest.
Every venue has Duty Officers on hand under football’s Zero Tolerance approach. They don’t referee the football — they look after the people around the field so the game is played in good spirit. If a Duty Officer speaks to you, they’re acting for everyone’s safety — please hear them out.
Looking after everyone, off the field.
A Duty Officer looks after everything that happens off the field, so the football can be played in good spirit. In plain terms, they:
Safety first.
Their first care is the wellbeing of the match and team officials, then the players, then the spectators — and to call for help or emergency services if it’s ever needed.
A welcoming sideline.
They welcome the match officials, stay visible in the hi-vis vest, and help keep the sideline positive and respectful for both teams and their families.
Calm, not conflict.
They quietly address poor behaviour before it escalates, ask people to lift their conduct, and — only if needed — ask someone to leave.
What a Duty Officer can do.
Under football’s Zero Tolerance approach, a Duty Officer’s reasonable requests are final and must be respected by everyone at the ground. They can:
- Ask you to lift your conduct — or, if it continues, ask you to leave the venue.
- Pause the match. The referee can stop play for a Duty Officer to deal with a breach before the game continues.
- Call for help. They’ll call an ambulance or the police if anyone’s safety is at risk, and complete any incident report.
- Speak for the club. On match-day matters off the field, what a Duty Officer asks is final — so if one speaks to you, please follow their direction.