AEL Limassol protests officiating in Coca-Cola Cup semi-final against Pafos FC

On April 8, 2026, AEL Limassol hosted Pafos FC at the Alphamega Stadium for the first leg of the Coca-Cola Cup semi-final. The match was officiated by an Estonian referee team, including Jaanovits Joonas as the main referee and Liiva Marko as the VAR. Following the game, AEL Limassol's press officer, Nikolas Leventis, publicly criticized the officiating, calling the referees kamikazes and questioning the selection criteria used by the Cyprus Football Association (KOP). Leventis specifically challenged the experience level of the Estonian officials, alleging that one had recent experience primarily with U21 matches while the other lacked VAR expertise. The club voiced strong disagreement with a penalty call resulting from a handball by Singh, which led to a 0-1 score in favor of Pafos. While AEL acknowledges the result, they believe a draw would have been a fairer outcome and are now focusing on the upcoming second leg. The Cyprus Football Association had officially announced this referee appointment on April 7, 2026, prior to the encounter.