Prince William is set to visit the West Midlands on a solo trip to attend a referee training course at Sporting Khalsa FC next Tuesday.
The Prince of Wales, who serves as Patron of the Football Association, will visit the club as part of the FA’s Reflective and Representative campaign.
The initiative, that aims to recruit 1,000 people from Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage backgrounds into refereeing roles, began in July 2023 and is aimed at people aged 14 and over who wish to referee mini football, 9v9 and 11v11 games.
During his visit, Prince William will meet with FA and Sporting Khalsa representatives to discuss the importance of creating opportunities in football for young people from diverse backgrounds.
Prince William is set to visit the West Midlands on a solo trip without Princess Kate to attend a referee training course at Sporting Khalsa FC next Tuesday
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He will also speak with course trainers and professional referee Levi Gray, who serves as a Lieutenant in the British Army, about her career journey.
The training course, where participants will learn key skills and knowledge needed to referee grassroots football matches safely and effectively, combines both theory and practical elements and is designed to support those taking their first steps into football officiating.
During his visit, Prince William will join a lesson with course participants to learn about the essential skills involved in refereeing and be taken onto the pitch to engage with different training stations.
These stations teach specific referee skills such as whistle tones and flag signals.
Princess Kate and Prince William travelled to Wales for a joint engagement on February 26
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The father-of-three will have the opportunity to practice being a referee in a mini football game alongside programme participants.
By participating in the training activities, Prince William will gain first-hand experience of the skills required for effective refereeing.
The visit follows the prince meeting with new Men’s England manager Thomas Tuchel at Windsor Castle on February 25.
The Prince of Wales met with the German coach alongside Mark Bullingham, the CEO of the FA.
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Prince William welcomed new England manager Thomas Tuchel to Windsor Castle
The image of the pair shaking hands was captioned: “Great to meet new men’s manager Thomas Tuchel for the first time today, and hear about plans for the team.”
The social media post’s caption was accompanied with a strong arm emoji.
Tuchel took charge of The Three Lions at the start of the year after Sir Gareth Southgate stepped down as manager following last summer’s Men’s Euros.
The Prince’s visit highlights the FA’s commitment to increasing diversity within football officiating at all levels.