Champions Behind the Scenes - Jansen Foo

Football fever for life: Pastime turned profession

Jansen refereeing his first AFC U-16 competition in 2016.

41-year-old Jansen Foo has never played football professionally before. Yet, he has made a name for himself as a FIFA referee officiating matches worldwide. His journey proves that passion, hard work and humility can open doors to a successful and fulfilling sports career.

Getting a better kick from football

Despite having always enjoyed sports, Jansen never had a sports CCA. He did, however, practice taekwondo outside of school, a result of watching too much Jackie Chan and Jet Li while growing up. Jansen eventually reached black belt level and even umpired for the sport for a while.

Jansen playing at his church’s weekly football community outreach.

Believe it or not, this S. League Referee of the Year recipient initially had no intentions of becoming a referee; instead, he wanted to be a football coach. As one of the leaders of his church's weekly football community outreach, Jansen wanted to obtain a coaching certification to provide better guidance and training to attendees who wished to learn to play.

A turn of events in 2009 led to Jansen enrolling in a basic referee course. Furthermore, his mentor had advised that a refereeing career would provide more advancement opportunities than coaching.

Kicking off his referee career

Jansen's first year refereeing involved school games, friendlies and the occasional S. League match. As a part-time referee with a full-time job, he had to balance taking annual leave for matches with demanding project deadlines and family commitments. Despite the challenges, Jansen was determined to advance his referee career.

Jansen (center) posing with fellow referees at his first international match in Japan.

“A fellow referee once shared this powerful image with me: a crowded escalator contrasted with a single person walking up the stairs. The message behind this image is a reminder that the challenging path is never crowded,” shared Jansen.

All of Jansen's hard work paid off when, to his surprise, he was nominated to become a FIFA referee in 2014 after just a year of experience with S. League matches. The learning curve was steep, but Jansen worked hard to close the gap and establish himself among seasoned and more skilled referees. He approached every international match as a chance to display and enhance his skills.

Jansen posing in Kyrgystan and North Korea while there to referee international matches.

With FIFA, Jansen has officiated matches in exotic countries like North Korea and at renowned venues such as Japan’s Saitama Stadium 2002 and Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd International Stadium. He even officiated an Al Nassar match for the 2023 AFC Champions League, where he stood alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Most of all, what Jansen greatly appreciates getting to experience is the roaring passion of football fans from different countries.

His referee style: Respect and humility

Over the last 15 years, Jansen has had quite a refereeing career, scoring Referee of the Year not once but twice on different occasions. When asked what makes an excellent football referee, Jansen emphasised two key traits: respect and humility.

Jansen posing with his Select Sport 1947 Referee of the Year award.

Whether for S. League or FIFA, Jansen always prioritises thorough match preparation. In addition to maintaining peak physical fitness for optimal performance on the field, he meticulously studies footage of past matches to familiarise himself with the teams’ play styles and identify key players. Jansen also makes sure to treat everyone, whether players or not, with the same level of respect, on or off the pitch.

“As a referee, I maintain a strict and fair demeanour. However, I'll never compromise my core values of respecting all. Although my facial expressions may appear stern and unapproachable, it belies my inherently kind-hearted nature.”

Jansen (3rd from left) refereeing at a World Cup 2026 qualifier match

Even as a veteran football referee, Jansen knows he is not infallible and reminds others not to dwell on past mishaps. He recalls how his failure to award a penalty kick to a team at the 2018 Asian Games qualifiers resulted in their defeat and elimination.

“To me, it was the most significant mistake of my career. But as humans, we have to acknowledge that we may make mistakes. Our focus should be on learning from these errors and ensuring they are not repeated in future games,” said Jansen.

A pitch to future officials

Jansen posing with fellow FIFA referees at the 2022 Asian Games

In 2022, Jansen became the first Singaporean referee to reach the semi-final stage of the Asian Games. Although the retirement age for FIFA referees is approaching, Jansen still has a lot left in him. He hopes to officiate a few more major games before retiring, and playfully quips, "Although any game that I’m appointed to is major to me."

To football enthusiasts considering a refereeing career, Jansen gives these three words to abide by: Discipline – Do it even if you don’t feel like it, Consistency – This lifestyle is a marathon, not a sprint; and Believe – The only way to achieve is to trust yourself.

Jansen also hopes for more open-mindedness about pursuing a career in sports officiating: “I hope that employers of technical officials in all sports can be understanding and supportive, recognising that pursuing a career in sports officiating can be an ‘Olympic Dream’ for them too.”