10.04.2026 14:49
The controversial referee of the 2016 Braga-Fenerbahçe match, Ivan Bebek, was appointed by FIFA as a VAR referee for the 2026 World Cup, while the absence of Turkish referees on the list drew criticism.
The referee Ivan Bebek, who officiated the controversial match between Fenerbahçe and Braga in 2016, has come back into the spotlight years later. The decision made by FIFA drew attention in the football community.
THE CONTROVERSIAL MATCH HAS NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN
In the second leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 match played on March 17, 2016, the decisions made by Ivan Bebek received significant backlash. In the match where three players from Fenerbahçe received red cards, head coach Vitor Pereira was also sent to the stands.
FORMAL COMPLAINT FILED, CATEGORY LOWERED
The yellow-blue club filed a complaint against the Croatian referee to UEFA after the match, and allegations of "match manipulation" emerged. It was announced that Bebek was demoted from the elite referee category following the process.
SURPRISE ASSIGNMENT FROM FIFA
Despite all these developments, FIFA included Ivan Bebek in the referee list for the 2026 World Cup. It was announced that the Croatian referee would serve as the VAR referee during the tournament.
DETAIL ABOUT TURKISH REFEREE DREW REACTIONS
The absence of any Turkish referees on the announced list also led to criticism on social media. Football fans reopened the discussion on this issue.