Cyprus Football Association faces intense criticism over refereeing standards

On September 17, 2026, the presidents of the First Division football clubs held a meeting with the president of the Cyprus Football Association (CFA), Haris Loizidis, in Limassol to address mounting dissatisfaction with domestic officiating. Club representatives expressed significant concerns regarding errors, match management, and the behavior of referees during the first three weeks of the league season. Haris Loizidis defended the Federation's ongoing efforts to improve performance and standards.

The situation remains volatile, with clubs demanding concrete solutions to ongoing officiating issues. Anorthosis Famagusta, feeling particularly aggrieved by perceived VAR errors in at least two of their four matches, has formally requested the appointment of foreign officials for the VAR booth in their future games. Furthermore, Anorthosis proposed the use of body cameras for referees, offering to fund the implementation. While the CFA has acknowledged the feedback, speculation is growing that the organization may soon consider employing foreign referees to handle VAR operations to mitigate bias and quell widespread criticism.