TFF’s Statement on Cup Derby: Will a Foreign Referee Officiate?
TFF Vice President Mecnun Otyakmaz stated that they will evaluate the possibility of appointing a foreign referee for the Turkish Cup quarter-final match between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray. Otyakmaz said, "We will assess this based on the requests of both teams and the decision of our board."
The quarter-final matchups of the Ziraat Turkish Cup have been determined, with Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray set to face each other.
Following the draw, Turkish Football Federation (TFF) Vice President Mecnun Otyakmaz commented on the matchups and the tournament format.
In his statement, Otyakmaz said:
“Exciting matches await us. Congratulations to all teams. Perhaps this year’s Ziraat Turkish Cup will bring more excitement than ever before. There have been some criticisms regarding the format. Some teams were eliminated due to yellow card suspensions and voiced their concerns. As you know, this format was determined last year. There may have been minor mishaps or perceived injustices. While the format has provided thrilling encounters, I would like to note that starting next year, we plan to return to a knockout system.”
The last match between Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe was officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic. Otyakmaz confirmed that they would consider appointing a foreign referee for the upcoming Turkish Cup match.
Otyakmaz added:
“Speaking personally, I believe assigning such matches to our domestic referees would be beneficial for their experience. However, we will evaluate this based on the preferences of both teams and the decision of our board.”
