Turkey's Super League to adopt chip-equipped balls next season

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) is set to introduce chip-equipped ball technology to the Trendyol Super League, mirroring innovations seen in the FIFA World Cup. Mecnun Otyakmaz, the TFF's First Deputy Chairman, announced the plan, stating the technology will be implemented in the second half of the season, likely between January and February.

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We want to implement this chip ball technology, one of the innovations seen in the FIFA World Cup this year, in our Super League as well, as an example to other federations.

This move aims to enhance the accuracy of offside reviews by precisely determining the moment of impact with the ball. The technology is also expected to expedite Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions and assist in handball reviews. The federation is currently working on securing the necessary funding for the installation and operation of this advanced system, which carries a significant cost.

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Inshallah, we want to use the chip ball starting in January-February, with the second half of the league.

In addition to the chip-equipped balls, the TFF will adopt FIFA's protocol regarding players covering their mouths while speaking. Initially, this will be enforced with yellow cards, as per IFAB's decision, unless the action warrants a more severe penalty like a red card.

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We will initially apply it as a yellow card, in line with IFAB's decision, for players covering their mouths while speaking, unless there are other visuals indicating a red card situation.