Officials are a vital part of our game
The AFLE is proud to officially introduce its Officiating Department, underlining the league's commitment to fairness, professionalism and high sporting standards. We're building a high-performance, team-oriented program that treats referees as elite athletes.
The department is led by Malte Scholz, Damian Jurzyk and Michael Kattillus, with around 80 referees from across Europe representing some of the highest-qualified officials currently active in the sport.
The AFLE's goal is to build a performance-driven officiating program where officials are viewed as high-performance athletes who require professional structures, continuous development and strong support systems. To achieve this, the AFLE works closely with leading organizations to establish modern training and development standards.
Communication plays a central role in the program. A shared understanding of rules, interpretations and expectations is essential to create consistency and ensure fair competition across the league. The Department will be an essential part of the League's office and will work closely together with teams to put the focus on the players and a fair game.
Officials are a crucial part of football. Their role goes far beyond enforcing the rules - they protect players, uphold the integrity of the sport and ensure that games are decided by performance on the field. The AFLE is committed to supporting its officials and creating an environment where they can perform at their best, just like the athletes they officiate.
"Today we met with our Department of Officiating to advance and professionalize officiating across the league. Together, we built the foundation for the structures needed to move forward. I'm excited for the close collaboration with everyone involved in future - the teams, The League, and the entire officiating crew. We are ready for the 2026 season!"— Malte Scholz, Head of Officiating
The AFLE officials kicked off their season preparations with their first meeting in the AFLE Office in Hamburg. A productive start full of collaboration, shared vision and important discussions about the future of officiating across Europe. A strong foundation was already made for the season ahead.
Meet our Heads of Officiating
Head of Officiating
Head of Officiating
Head of Officiating
Our officials manage league games with professionalism and neutrality, ensuring that the game itself remains the central focus.
Continuous development and structured evaluation ensure consistent, high-quality officiating across all league games.
Officiating operates in close coordination with league operations and teams to ensure clarity, trust, and transparency.
Clarity and consistency start with a shared rules foundation, unified interpretation, and transparent communication.
AFLE games are played primarily under NFL rules, with the college overtime format applied where overtime is required. This framework provides a familiar and internationally recognized rules foundation.
The Officiating Department works continuously to ensure a unified understanding of rules, interpretations, and enforcement standards across all officiating crews.
The AFLE is developing a dedicated rulebook section to provide centralized and transparent access to league rules, interpretations, and points of emphasis.
Until publication, teams and officials receive official rules guidance through structured league communications and officiating briefings.
All teams and players are treated equally and impartially. Decisions are based solely on the rules and game situation.
Respectful interaction with all participants is the foundation of our work. We promote a positive environment for everyone.
Through continuous education, we ensure that our officials work at the highest level.
Honesty and transparency in all decisions. We stand behind our decisions and are ready to explain them.