04.08.2026 10:40
TFF and MHK are preparing to implement a new foul standard in the Süper Lig starting with the 2026-2027 season. Referees will not blow the whistle for light contact, and the performance rating of referees who make unnecessary foul calls will be lowered.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) and the Central Referee Committee (MHK) have initiated the process for the new foul standard to be implemented in the Süper Lig for the 2026-2027 season.
With the new application, referees will be asked to abandon the approach of easily calling fouls that frequently stop the game. The goal is to create a league where the ball remains in play longer, the tempo does not drop, and physical challenges come to the forefront.
NOT EVERY CONTACT WILL RESULT IN A WHISTLE
As part of the training to be provided at the MHK referee seminars, referees will be instructed to let play continue for shoulder-to-shoulder challenges, tough tackles within the boundaries of football, and light contacts that do not give an advantage to players.
Conversely, there will be no leniency for interventions that endanger the health of the opposing player, are reckless, or are clearly fouls.
50 PERCENT TARGET IN NUMBER OF FOULS
With the new system, it is aimed to reduce the number of fouls called per match by at least 50 percent. Thus, the goal is to make the game more fluid and increase the spectator experience.
WILL AFFECT REFEREES' RATINGS
The new foul standard will not be merely advisory. Referee observers and performance evaluators will reflect this criterion in their reports throughout the season.
Referees who frequently call fouls on trivial contacts and unnecessarily stop the game will see their performance scores negatively affected. Referees who successfully implement the new standard will receive higher performance ratings.