The Football Federation of Macedonia (FFM) continues its strategic commitment to raising the quality and professionalism of football refereeing. In that direction, this year, the regular Winter Referee Seminar 2025 for referees and controllers from the Single List for the First and Second MFL, which is being held from February 7 to 11 in Strumica, has a special emphasis on education, physical fitness and the unified application of the rules of the game, in accordance with the highest standards of FIFA and UEFA, presented by our eminent best referees to date, and now referee instructors, Aleksandar Stavrev, Dimitar Mechakrovski, Dejan Jakimovski, Josip Barton, Goran Spirkoski, Marjan Kirovski and Dejan Kostadinov.

"The refereeing organization is one of the key pillars of football, and its development is our common obligation. With continuous education, physical preparation and clear criteria in decision-making, we are strengthening trust in Macedonian football. This seminar is of particular importance because through it we are laying the foundations for a future refereeing staff that will follow the highest world standards, especially in an extremely important upcoming period of implementation of the VAR system," said the President of the FFM, Masar Omeragić.

As a crowning achievement for the dedicated work of our referees, this seminar also organized a ceremonial awarding of the FIFA emblems for 2025 to our international referees. This recognition is proof of their professionalism and integrity, but also a great responsibility to continue to be ambassadors of Macedonian refereeing on the international stage.

The President of the Football Federation of Macedonia awarded the FIFA emblems to all international referees and wished them much success, dedication, professionalism and responsibility in refereeing and worthy representation of the FFM and the Refereeing Organization throughout Europe.

As a result of his long-standing refereeing career and his professional dedication as an eminent referee in the First MFL, and then a FIFA futsal referee, the President of the FFM presented Josip Barton, the current Commissioner for Referee Delegation, with a plaque as a token of gratitude for his past work.

Within the framework of the seminar, referees and controllers undergo a series of theoretical tests, practical match analyses, as well as fitness tests, which are a basic prerequisite for top refereeing. Additionally, workshops were held on the application of the VAR protocol, refereeing psychology and integrity, with the aim of creating modern and prepared referees for the challenges of today's football.

FFM remains firmly committed to the development of the refereeing organization and the improvement of standards, with the ultimate goal - fair, transparent and quality football in Macedonia.