Iancu Vasilica1, Rui Silva2, Paulo Costa3, Bruno Figueira4,5, Luís Vaz6
1University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Sport Sciences Department, Vila Real, Portugal
2University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Centre for Transdisciplinary Development, CETRAD, Vila Real, Portugal
3University of Beira Interior, Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, CIDESD, CreativeLab Research Community, Covilhã, Portugal
4Departamento de Desporto e Saúde, Escola de Saúde e Desenvolvimento Humano, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal
5Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal
6University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, CIDESD, CreativeLab Research Community, Vila Real, Portugal
Referees’ Motivation: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis
Monten. J. Sports Sci. Med. 2025, 14(2), Ahead of Print | DOI: 10.26773/mjssm.250908
Abstract
This article provides a comprehensive mapping and review of the literature on the motivation of referees and match officials. The primary aim is to delineate the structure of this emerging research field, with a focus on the key authors, publications, and journals contributing to the area. A systematic search was conducted for articles on the motivation of referees and match officials published between 2002 and 2023. After reviewing the abstracts, a stringent filter was applied based on predefined selection criteria. Following this process, 28 articles from WOS and Scopus were selected for in-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis. These articles constitute the core of our final database. The analysis culminated in a systematic review of the most influential literature on referees' motivation across various sports, accompanied by a detailed mapping of the top 28 studies, ranked by citation volume. In conclusion, this study offers valuable insights into the field of refereeing across multiple sports. By systematically identifying key authors and trends, it not only deepens our understanding of referees' motivation but also lays the groundwork for future research in this crucial yet underexplored area.
Keywords
Official performance, motivational factors, sports officials, sports psychology, literature mapping
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