NFL's 2026 replacement referee training timetable revealed
The NFL has filled its 32 franchises in on an official timetable for introducing replacement referees next season.
With the NFL no closer to reaching an agreement with the NFLRA ahead of the end of their current deal on May 31, the league has offered teams an official timeline for the introduction of replacement referees. According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, a memo obtained by the NFL Network reveals that the league informed clubs on Wednesday that it will begin training replacement officials next month, aiming to have them begin team visits on June 1 if the league doesn't reach a deal with the referees' union. The NFL informed clubs today it will begin training replacement officials next month with the goal of preparing them for team visits starting June 1 if no deal can be reached with the referees union, per a memo obtained by NFL Network.
Negotiations will continue between the NFL… pic. twitter. com/ytmF7J1OAO — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 8, 2026 “The league remains committed to reaching a fair and reasonable agreement with the NFLRA but will be prepared in the event no agreement is reached prior to the expiration of the current agreement on May 31, 2026," said the memo, which was sent by NFL Senior VP of Officiating Perry Fewell.
The memo also said that the league will "actively seek feedback" from each team on the performance of replacement officials during the offseason before finalizing the roster ahead of camp and preseason games. All clubs are also required to send their OTA and minicamp schedules to the NFL within the next two weeks, so the league can begin scheduling replacement referees for these events starting on June 1. This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: NFL's 2026 replacement referee training timetable revealed