Applications are invited from experienced and suitably qualified persons, who wish to be considered for appointment to the position of Referee/Technical Official at the Lifesaving World Championships (LWC) 2026 to be held in Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The LWC will take place from 27th November 2026 to 13th December 2026.
LWC2026 will be hosted by Life Saving South Africa. All Pool events will be held at the Newton Park Pool, and all Ocean and Beach events will be held at King’s Beach.
The only method of applying is by the completion the form online. You must submit your application 15th NOVEMBER 2025.
Please also note:
- An applicant will not be appointed to a Ref/TO position for only one day of a specific LWC and be excused for the following day/s.
- For National Team LWC and Interclub LWC, the appointments are for the Open and Youth Championships – one cannot be appointed for say Open only or Youth only.
- Once appointed you are expected to officiate for the entire duration of that specific Championship(s) to which you are appointed.
- A compulsory on-line safety briefing will be conducted, and all Referees and Technical Officials must complete the briefing.
- All appointed Ref/TO’s MUST attend their Championships Briefings prior to the commencement of the Championship – these are usually in the afternoon or early evening before the first day of the LWC.
- All Ref/TO briefings will all take place for Ocean LWCs at the King’s Beach and the Pool LWCs at Newton Park Aquatic Centre.
- The ILS Event Management Committee will seek your federation’s endorsement for appointment.
- For some positions there are only limited number of Ref/TOs that need to be appointed – for example in the pool there will be only one or two starters required, so apply for positions in order of your preference. We will try to accommodate you but unfortunately this is not always possible.
Upon applying for appointment, Ref/TO’s should note that officiating can be physically demanding. It is not always an easy job, and it can be tiring for some. It is suggested that Ref/TO’s study the programme carefully and schedule in a rest day before applying.
If you intend touring before, during, or after the LWC 2026 please bear in mind the dates of the Championships and associated briefings at which you have applied to officiate. You should plan your trip carefully and responsibly, so you don’t have to request to be excused from any briefing, a day of a Championship, or later during the LWC you suddenly have to withdraw because of your tour arrangements. From the Event Management Committee point of view, it is not only disruptive and time consuming to amend the appointment schedules when Ref/TO’s withdraw, but it is unfair to the other Ref/TO’s who then must take on additional duties and or roles of the Ref/TO who has withdrawn from the LWC.
If you fail to fulfil all your appointed commitments for any championship other than for medical reasons, your appointment to any future championship maybe compromised.
Travel and accommodation expenses for all Ref/TO are to be paid for either by the individual concerned or the National Federation that nominates the individual. No such expenses are provided for by the LWC 2026 Local Organising Committee, International Lifesaving Federation, ILS Event Management Committee or Life Saving South Africa.
The ILS Event Management Committee will not enter any correspondence on the appointment, or non-appointment of any person who nominates themselves for a Ref/ TO position at the LWC 2026.
Endorsement
The ILS Event Management Committee will seek endorsement from the applicant’s National Federation and to verify the information supplied in the applicant’s application is correct, before any appointment is made and confirmed.
Application for Technical Official appointment
The application process for Technical Officials (TO) positions will overlap with the application process for Chief and Deputy Chief Referees. If you have applied for a Chief Referee and/or Deputy Chief Referee position and want to be considered for TO position in another championship where you have not applied for a Chief Referee and/or Deputy Chief Referee position or if you have not been successful for a Chief Referee and/or Deputy Chief Referee position, you have to complete a TO application form.
Application procedure:
If you satisfy the criteria for Experience and Qualifications given above, and are available to attend the LWC 2026 events, you may apply for a position as Chief Referee and/or Deputy Chief Referee. Please complete the form. It is the only method of applying and you must submit your application by 15th NOVEMBER 2025. The link is:
