Spanish football—and LaLiga refereeing in particular—is set for a major overhaul. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has decided to end Medina Cantalejo’s tenure as president of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA). This change comes in response to ongoing controversies and is expected to mark the beginning of a much-needed institutional reset.

One of the key triggers was the chaotic Copa del Rey final, where Real Madrid were seen as the primary victims of poor officiating and controversial comments made by referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea and VAR official Pablo González Fuertes. Their actions have since sparked widespread criticism and are seen as emblematic of deeper problems within the CTA.

According to Joaquín Maroto of AS, citing federation sources, Rafael Louzán—the acting figure with influence over the CTA—acknowledges the need for a deep renovation of the refereeing body, which will be carried out before the end of the month.

This restructuring will not stop at Cantalejo. It is expected that Clos Gómez, current head of VAR, and committee figures like Undiano Mallenco, Lesma López, and Yuste Jiménez will also step down. Furthermore, the legal and operational structure of the CTA is expected to shift. Rather than being controlled directly by the federation president, it may adopt an independent model similar to that used in England’s PGMOL or Germany’s Bundesliga, offering greater neutrality and transparency.

However, the search for Cantalejo’s successor is proving difficult, as there are few viable candidates. The RFEF had once benefited from the expertise of Carlos Velasco Carballo, now in charge of UEFA’s VAR system, but he is unlikely to return to take over the post.

This sweeping reform is widely seen as a positive step for Real Madrid and the rest of LaLiga, who have long called for greater clarity and accountability in officiating. With new leadership and a reformed structure, Spanish football hopes to restore faith in its refereeing institutions.

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