Turkish Football in Crisis: Betting Scandal Leads to Mass Suspensions
Turkish authorities arrest 8, including a top-tier club chairman, and suspend 1,024 players in a growing probe into alleged football match betting.
Due to the precautionary transfer of 1,024 football players to the PFDK, negotiations have been initiated urgently with FIFA to grant a 15-day...
Turkish authorities have taken decisive action against alleged betting on football matches, arresting eight individuals, including a top-tier club chairman, and suspending 1,024 players pending disciplinary investigations. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has sent these players to the Professional Football Disciplinary Council (PFDK) as part of the probe.
The investigation revealed that 371 of 571 active referees in Turkey's professional leagues had betting accounts, with 152 actively gambling. One referee had bet an astonishing 18,227 times, while 42 referees had bet on over 1,000 football matches each.
The TFF has suspended matches in the second and third-tier leagues for two weeks and is negotiating with FIFA for a 15-day transfer window to help clubs complete their squads. The international community is taking notice, with Interpol expressing interest in the investigation, which may involve foreign schemes and group criminals.
Turkey's state-owned Anadolu news agency reported that a court has ordered the arrest of Eyupspor Chairman Murat Ozkaya and seven others as part of the ongoing investigation into alleged betting on football matches. The club has not yet commented on the matter.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has taken decisive action, sending 1,024 players from all leagues to the Professional Football Disciplinary Council (PFDK) for investigation, including 27 players from the top-tier Super Lig who have been suspended. The implicated players include those from champions Galatasaray and Istanbul rivals Besiktas.
“Due to the precautionary transfer of 1,024 football players to the PFDK, negotiations have been initiated urgently with FIFA to grant a 15-day transfer and registration period in addition to the 2025-2026 winter transfer period, only at the national level, in order for clubs to complete their squad deficiencies,” the TFF said.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has suspended matches in the second and third-tier leagues for two weeks, with an extraordinary meeting of the TFF board scheduled for Tuesday. The move comes as the TFF investigates alleged betting on football matches, with 1,024 players suspended pending disciplinary investigations.
FIFA has not yet responded to the TFF's request for a 15-day transfer window to help clubs manage squad deficiencies. TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu has described the situation as a “moral crisis in Turkish football,” emphasizing the need for urgent action to restore trust in the sport
Turkey's football betting scandal has led to the arrest of eight individuals, including Eyupspor Chairman Murat Ozkaya and several referees, as part of an investigation into alleged match-fixing and betting on soccer matches. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has suspended 1,024 players, including 27 from the top-tier Super Lig, and 149 referees have received bans ranging from 8 to 12 months.
🚨🇹🇷⚽️ THE HISTORIC BETTING SCANDAL CONTINUES TO SHAKE TURKISH FOOTBALL!! 🚨🇹🇷⚽️
— Football in Türkiye ⚽️🇹🇷 (@FootyinTurkiye) November 10, 2025
THE TURKISH FOOTBALL FEDERATION HAS JUST ANNOUNCED, THAT 1024 PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS, 27 OF THEM FROM THE SÃœPER LIG, HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE FOR BETTING! pic.twitter.com/qFtZ8LhPC6
The TFF's investigation revealed that 371 of 571 active referees in Turkey's professional leagues had betting accounts, with 152 actively gambling. One referee had placed bets on 18,227 matches, while 42 referees had bet on over 1,000 football matches each. The scandal has been described as a "moral crisis in Turkish football" by TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, who has pledged to implement reforms and restore public confidence in the sport
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