Six umpires have been promoted to the AFL senior list for 2026, including just the second-ever woman field umpire.
Field umpires
Jordyn Pearson’s promotion from the Rookie list will see her become the second woman field umpire, nine years after Eleni Tee umpired her first AFL game in 2017.
Pearson umpired the 2022 (Season 6) AFLW Grand Final and has tallied 51 AFLW and 58 VFL games to date.
Her other major umpiring achievements include being awarded the 2024 AFLW Umpiring Rising Star, as well as being the first ever umpire appointed to the AFLW Competition Committee in 2025.
Speaking to AFL Media, Pearson noted the rapid growth of women and girls in football and umpiring over the last 10 years, and hopes her elevation to AFL level “can inspire the next generation of umpires”.
Joel Clamp joins the AFL list after his successive VFL Grand Final appointments in 2024 and 2025, alongside back-to-back AFLW Grand Finals in 2022 and 2023. Joel has umpired 118 VFL games and was appointed to the SANFL v VFL representative game during Gather Round this year. He was also awarded the 2025 VFL Field Umpire of the Year.
Sam Morgan joins from South Australia, having been a consistent high performer with appointments in the previous three SANFL Grand Finals. He joined Joel in the SANFL v VFL representative game this year and has 152 games of SANFL experience under his belt.
Joseph O’Brien will become the first NSW field umpire to officiate at the highest level since 1997. On the back of his best year to date, Joseph capped the year off with his first VFL Grand Final appointment.
Boundary umpire
Harrison Bell debuted in the AFL in Round 17, eventually tallying 6 AFL games for the remainder of the year. The 2025 VFL Umpire of the Year also officiated this year’s VFL Grand Final, another stellar achievement for the 21 year old. Harrison’s father, Michael, umpired 217 at AFL level, making them the 20th father/son umpiring combination in VFL/AFL history.
Goal umpire
James Rizio umpired his third VFL Grand Final this year and brings 118 games of VFL experience to the AFL list. James was an AFLW Grand Final umpire in 2022 and has a unique element to his resume, having also umpired an International Cup Grand Final. He was also awarded the 2025 VFL Goal Umpire of the Year.