TFF Cracks Down on Betting: Galatasaray Duo Among 102 Suspended

Turkish football scandal, 102 players banned for match-fixing

Turkey's football federation bans 102 players, including Galatasaray's Eren Elmali and Metehan Baltaci, for alleged match betting.

The Turkish Football Federation's Professional Football Disciplinary Council (PFDK) has imposed bans on several players...

Turkey's football federation (TFF) has imposed bans on 102 players, including Galatasaray's Eren Elmali and Metehan Baltaci, for alleged betting on matches. The bans range from 45 days to 12 months, with 25 players from the top-tier Super Lig and 77 from the second tier affected.

This move comes after the TFF suspended 149 referees and assistant referees earlier this month for betting on football matches. The investigation revealed that 371 of 571 active referees had betting accounts, with 152 actively gambling. One referee had bet 18,227 times, and 42 referees had bet on over 1,000 matches each.

The TFF has described the situation as a “moral crisis in Turkish football” and vowed to protect the sport's integrity. The investigation is ongoing, with eight people, including a top-tier club chairman, arrested, and 1,024 players suspended.

The Turkish Football Federation's investigation has led to the arrest of eight individuals, including a top-tier club chairman, and the suspension of 1,024 players across all leagues. This move is part of a broader crackdown on alleged betting activities in Turkish football.

Suspensions and Arrests:

1,024 players suspended, including 27 from the top-tier Super Lig

25 players from Super Lig and 77 from the second tier faced bans

Eyupspor Chairman Murat Ozkaya is among those arrested

Matches in second and third-tier leagues suspended for two weeks

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) is working with FIFA to secure a special 15-day domestic transfer window to help clubs address squad gaps. TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu has described the situation as a “moral crisis in Turkish football.”

🚨🇹🇷Now OVER 1000 players have been suspended from their respective Leagues after also being apart of the betting scandal currently going on in Turkey🤯

CORRUPTION❌ https://t.co/t2Ymb61Tux pic.twitter.com/9tWQKrQR6t

— The 44 ⚽️ (@The_Forty_Four) November 11, 2025

The Turkish Football Federation's Professional Football Disciplinary Council (PFDK) has imposed bans on several players, including Galatasaray's Eren Elmali and Metehan Baltaci, who received 45-day and nine-month suspensions, respectively. The bans range from 45 days to 12 months, affecting 102 players in total.

TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu has described the situation as a “moral crisis in Turkish football,” with an investigation revealing that 371 of 571 active referees had betting accounts, and 152 were actively gambling. Some referees had placed an alarming number of bets, with one referee betting 18,227 times and 42 referees betting on over 1,000 matches each.

The scandal has led to the suspension of 1,024 players and 149 referees, with eight people, including a club chairman, arrested. The TFF is working with FIFA to extend the winter transfer window, allowing clubs to address squad shortages.