China

China FA to hire foreign referees to halt disputes in Chinese Super League

The Chinese Football Association (CFA) confirmed that it would bring foreign referees to officiate selected Chinese Super League games starting this weekend to halt recent pitch controversies.

According to the announcement of CFA on its official website, the governing body would invite “high-level European and American” referee teams to judge key matches to “help finish the league smoothly”.

The selected games will be tomorrow’s game between Tianjin Quanjian and Shandong Luneng and Sunday game between Shanghai Greenland Shenhua and Tianjin Teda.

The Chinese highest-tier league also adds video referees on a trial basis near the close of the current season next month. This practice will be officially introduced next year.