Referees' Committee upholds decisions in Vardar–Tikvesh match

The Referees' Committee of the Football Federation of North Macedonia has issued a technical explanation of several key decisions from the Macedonian Cup match between Vardar and Tikvesh played on October 28, 2026, a game that ended 1:3 in favour of the visitors.

Committee upholds match control and disciplinary calls

Regarding the goal awarded to the home side in the 58th minute, the committee notes that assistant referee positioning, the timing of the ball contact and the location of the penultimate defender were all considered. After reviewing available video material, the committee concluded that the attacking player was not in an offside position at the moment the pass was played and therefore the goal was correctly recognised by the first assistant referee.

On the disciplinary decisions, the committee explains that the yellow card shown in the 77th minute to Vardar player number 34 was appropriate given the nature and seriousness of the offence. The action, the committee says, did not meet the threshold for a direct red card because it lacked excessive force or brutal conduct that would endanger the opponent.

Similarly, the yellow card issued in the 89th minute to Tikvesh player number 4 was judged proportional. The committee assessed the late challenge and the contact to the lower leg as a harsh foul but without use of excessive force or behaviour that would justify a straight red card. It also noted that the referee, positioned only a few metres away, is best placed to decide the awarding of a foul in such situations.

The statement also acknowledges that in the attacking sequences leading to Tikvesh’s second and third goals there were contacts which could have been penalised against the visiting side, but the match referee chose—consistent with the criteria applied throughout the match—to allow play to continue, after which the visitors scored.

Summing up, the Referees' Committee said all twelve disciplinary measures handed out during the game were correctly applied, that refereeing criteria remained consistent from start to finish, and that no decisions unduly affected the match outcome. The committee added that it will continue to base decisions strictly on the Laws of the Game and equal treatment of all participants.

Photo: press material from the event