Major change from the MHK for the new season: Fewer whistles!

The Turkish Football Federation and the Central Referee Committee (MHK) are preparing for a notable change in refereeing practices in the Süper Lig ahead of the 2026-2027 season. The primary goal of the new approach is to reduce easy foul calls that cause the game to stop frequently.

According to the planned foul standard, referees are expected to be more selective regarding minor contacts that occur within the natural flow of football. The aim is to reduce whistles for shoulder-to-shoulder challenges, firm contacts within the rules, and light contacts that do not significantly disrupt the flow of the game.

In contrast, it is anticipated that there will be no compromise on interventions that risk the opponent's health, are uncontrolled, or clearly constitute a foul. Thus, the goal is to both allow more room for physical play and maintain game safety.

GOAL: A MORE FLUID GAME

According to the MHK's plan, the number of foul calls in matches is expected to drop significantly with the new practice. The target is to reduce the number of fouls called within 90 minutes by approximately 50 percent, ensuring that matches are played more continuously.

It is also stated that the new standard will not be limited only to on-field decisions. Referee observers and performance evaluation teams are planned to closely monitor referees' compliance with this standard throughout the season.

It is stated that the evaluation scores of referees who frequently stop the game for minor contacts could be negatively affected, while referees who correctly apply the new standard could gain an advantage in their performance points.

News Source: 12punto