FFM Refereeing Board: Correct decisions and effective VAR protocol use

The Refereeing Board of the Football Federation of North Macedonia (FFM) published a technical review on 19 October 2026 of key decisions from the 10th round of the First League and the 8th round of the Second League. The board concluded that overall officiating met high standards, with accurate application of the Laws of the Game and effective match control.

VAR interventions validated and on-field decisions upheld where appropriate

In several cases the board confirmed that on-field rulings were correct, while in others timely and proper VAR interventions led to changes of the initial calls. That combination demonstrated both the functionality of the VAR system and strong cooperation within referee teams, the review noted.

Concrete examples highlighted in the analysis include the First League match between Shkëndija Arachinovo and Struga Trim Lum: in the 24th minute, after a foul on the visiting team's forward was not initially spotted, VAR officials recommended an On-field Review (OFR). Following the review the referee awarded a penalty and issued a direct red card to the defender for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). The board described this as a justified VAR intervention that followed protocol and correctly applied the Laws of the Game.

In the Bashkimi–Sileks game the board singled out an 81st-minute VAR check that correctly disallowed a Bashkimi goal due to an offside by the player wearing number 80, who had become involved in the phase that led to the score. The report also records that in Arsimi–Tikvesh a home goal was correctly ruled out for offside in the 23rd minute.

The referees’ decision-making was not solely credited to technology. In a Second League fixture between FK Euromilk GL and FK Novaci the referee correctly identified simulation in the penalty area: the attacker initiated contact in order to try to win a foul, and there was no illegal action by the defender. The board praised the referee’s positioning, proximity and viewing angle, which enabled an accurate judgement.

The Refereeing Board emphasized that integrity and consistency require that the final decision be correct, not that every initial call remain unchanged. Willingness to amend decisions when clear grounds for VAR intervention exist is a professional responsibility rather than a shortcoming. The board also warned against selective or digitally altered images that can misrepresent incidents and urged analyses to rest solely on the Laws of the Game and the VAR protocol.

FFM’s Refereeing Board said it will continue systematic technical reviews, education and evaluation of referee performance, with special focus on harmonising refereeing criteria and further improving VAR protocol application.

Photo: press material from the event