Football equipment

The referee's equipment

The Fox 40 whistle changed officiating. Its inventor, Ron Foxcroft, was himself a basketball referee and had seen his pea whistle go silent during an Olympic final. He designed a pealess whistle, which produces sound solely from the shape of its air chambers, presented to referees in 1987. Without a pea, nothing can jam or freeze: the whistle works in the rain and extreme cold, making it the reference for referees in all sports.

Communication systems, like the Spintso Refcom, connect the central referee to their assistants via earpieces, to signal an offside or a foul out of their field of vision. Cards, score sheets, and a dedicated watch complete the set, which can be found on the referee page.

Shin guards: mandatory equipment

The rules of the game make shin guards compulsory: they must be made of suitable material, of appropriate size, and completely covered by socks. The referee checks for their presence before the match, but the choice of size is the player's responsibility. A shin guard covers the shin from below the knee to above the ankle, and models with built-in ankle protection also protect the malleoli, which are useful for young players and defenders.

Protective gear can be found on the protection page, along with shells and support accessories.

Balls and training equipment

The ball is chosen based on the age group: size 3 for the youngest, size 4 from U9 to U13, size 5 from U15 onwards. A glued ball retains its weight in the rain, while a stitched ball is more economical for training. The balls are gathered on the balls page.

The training equipment includes cones, hurdles, speed ladders, and dummies, while the club space features equipment for managers and coaches.

Bags and accessories

A football bag should have a separate compartment for shoes, keeping mud and moisture away from clean clothes. Ball bags and equipment bags make transporting gear easier. Water bottles, support bands, and small accessories complete the equipment. They can be found in the baggage and accessories sections.

The equipment pages

Equipment is organised by use:

• Baggage, player bags, ball bags, and equipment bags.
• Balls, match balls, training balls, and light balls.
• Club space, for managers and coaches.
• Protective gear, shin guards, and supports.
• Referee, whistles, cards, and communication.
• Training equipment, cones, hurdles, and ladders.
• Accessories, water bottles, and small gear.

The rest of the football universe can be found on the pages shoes, teams, printing, tracksuits, goalkeepers, juniors, team wear, all compiled on the page football.

New products and good deals

The new products showcase the latest models, the promotions feature previous collections at discounted prices, and items shipped in 24 hours are prepared and dispatched within 24 hours. The good deals, clearance sales, sales, and Black Friday have their football page, particularly during Black Friday, the end-of-year holidays, winter sales, and French Days.

Frequently asked questions

Why do referees use a pealess whistle?

Without a pea, nothing can jam or freeze: the whistle works in the rain and cold. The Fox 40, designed by basketball referee Ron Foxcroft and introduced in 1987, creates sound solely from the shape of its air chambers.

Are shin guards mandatory in matches?

Yes, the rules of the game require them: they must be made of suitable material, be of appropriate size, and be completely covered by socks. The referee checks for their presence, but the choice of size is up to the player, from below the knee to above the ankle.

What equipment should be prepared for a training session?

Cones and markers to define the areas, hurdles and a speed ladder for coordination, dummies for free kicks, and balls appropriate for the age category: 3 for the youngest, 4 for U9 to U13, and 5 for U15 and above.

How does the referee communicate with their assistants?

Using a communication system with earpieces, like the Spintso Refcom, which connects the central referee to their assistants to signal an offside or a foul out of their field of vision. Cards, score sheets, and a dedicated watch complete the set.

Why choose a shin guard with ankle support?

Models with built-in ankle protection also guard the malleoli, which are exposed during challenges and tackles. They are particularly suitable for young players and defenders, who are more often impacted on the ankles.