New development in Turkish Football scandal: Club President arrested and Over 1000 Player suspended in match-fixing case

Turkish football has been rocked by one of the largest corruption and betting scandals in its modern history with authorities arresting eight individual including first-division club president amid explosive allegations of illegal gambling and match-fixing.

According to Anadolu Agency, a court in Ankara ordered the detention of Eyupspor president Murat Ozkan and seven other on Monday as part of sweeping investigation into widespread betting activity across the country’s professional leagues.

Over 1000 player suspended pending disciplinary review

In stunning move, the Turkish Football Federation TFF announced it has suspended 1024 player across all divisions pending disciplinary hearings.

Among them are 27 player from the Super Lig including members of reigning champions Galatasaray, Besiktas and several other top-flight clubs.

The federation said in official statement:

"Following the precautionary referral of 1024 footballer to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board, urgent discussions have begun with FIFA to grant special 15 day domestic registration and transfer window during the 2025 /26 winter period allowing clubs to fill vacancies in their squads"

The announcement also confirmed that fixtures in Turkey’s second and third divisions have been postponed for two week while emergency executive meeting of the TFF board is scheduled for Tuesday.

Referees also implicated

The scandal comes just weeks after the TFF suspended 149 referee and assistant referees when internal investigations revealed that many were actively gambling on football matches.

A separate report showed that out of 571 registered referee in Turkey’s professional leagues, 371 held betting account with 152 confirmed to have placed wagers.

In one shocking example, a referee allegedly placed 18227 bet while 42 other were found to have gambled on over 1000 match each.

"A moral crisis in Turkish football"

TFF president İbrahim Hacıosmanoglu described the situation as unprecedented ethical breakdown stating:

"This is not just disciplinary issue — it is moral crisis in Turkish football. The integrity of our sport has been compromised and we must act decisively to restore trust"

While FIFA has been formally notified, the TFF is seeking emergency measures to prevent the disruption of league competitions and safeguard its professional structure.

Khaled Hegazy |

Editorar, en

Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

Related teams and leagues

Super Lig Turkey