Until the end of season on 12 November 2017, 50 matches had been led by foreign referees.
In December 2016, PSSI and the league operator planned to use foreign referees for the 2017 competition.
The use of foreign referee was intended to improve the quality of the competition.
[2] After a wide criticism, protest and dissatisfaction towards the local referees during the first round of the season,[3][4] PSSI revisited the idea.
On 18 July 2017, PSSI and the league operator officially announced the use of foreign referees and assistant referees in select matches for the second round.