Aisha Strutt (Class of 2016) named Female Football Week 2026 Referee of the Year

Congratulations to Radford Collegian Aisha Strutt (Class of 2016) on being named Female Football Week’s 2026 Referee of the Year. A remarkable recognition of her outstanding contribution to football officiating and the wider football community.

Aisha continues to break new ground in the sport, becoming the first female referee in Canberra not on a national panel to officiate a men’s NPL match. She is also the first female referee from the ACT selected to officiate at the Boys National Championships, further cementing her place as a trailblazer within Australian football.

Her impressive officiating career includes refereeing numerous women’s Federation Cup and NPL Grand Finals, becoming a regular referee within the ACT men’s NPL competition, and serving as an assistant referee in the NSW NPL.

Aisha’s journey in refereeing began on the Radford playing fields in 2015 while she was in Year 11. Having played soccer from a young age, she took on refereeing during her senior years at school before making the full transition to officiating in Year 12.

Reflecting on Aisha’s journey, her proud mum shared that there was a point where Aisha felt she had reached a plateau and was unsure whether there was a pathway forward in refereeing. With encouragement and guidance from Capital Football ACT, she realised there were opportunities far beyond school-level matches, a moment that helped shape the path she is on today.

Her story serves as a powerful reminder to young women in the Radford football community that there are many ways to be involved in the sport and that refereeing can be both rewarding and full of opportunity.

Beyond her achievements on the field, Aisha is widely respected within the Canberra referee community for her generosity, humility and commitment to supporting others. A valued mentor and role model, she consistently encourages and guides referees of all genders and experience levels, helping to strengthen and grow the officiating community across the region.

Those who know Aisha speak not only of her professionalism and excellence as a referee, but also of her selfless nature and quiet leadership. Never one to seek recognition, she allows her integrity, character and dedication to speak for themselves.

We congratulate Aisha on this incredibly well-deserved recognition and look forward to following her continued success in football officiating.