Turkish football is facing one of its biggest crises in decades after prosecutors in Istanbul issued arrest warrants for 46 individuals, including 29 professional players, in connection with an ongoing investigation into illegal betting on domestic matches.
The Istanbul prosecutor’s office confirmed on Friday that 27 of the players are suspected of placing bets on games involving their own teams, with some allegedly wagering on matches in which they were actively playing.
The scandal has been unfolding since early November, when authorities detained 18 individuals amid claims that referees were betting on the matches they officiated. A week later, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 match officials over similar allegations.
Disciplinary Actions and Referee Involvement
The TFF has confirmed that disciplinary hearings have led to suspensions of eight to twelve months for referees accused of violating betting rules, with three additional officials still under investigation.
A review of 571 referees across Turkey’s professional leagues revealed that:
- 371 referees opened betting accounts
- 152 referees actively placed bets
Among those implicated is Metehan Baltacı of Galatasaray, who received a nine-month ban in November.
The scandal initially drew attention on 10 November, when six referees and the president of Eyüpspor (Super Lig) were placed in pre-trial detention.
Player Involvement and Arrests
While prosecutors have withheld the names of the other 26 players accused of betting on their own teams, it was revealed that Fenerbahçe midfielder Mert Hakan Yandaş allegedly placed bets using a third-party account.
So far, police have detained 35 of the 46 suspects, with five believed to have fled abroad. The list also includes two club presidents accused of attempting to influence the outcome of a third-division match last season—a fixture that ended without either side recording a shot on goal, which triggered the investigation.
Scale of the Scandal
The TFF has already issued suspensions to over 1,000 players nationwide, including 25 from the Super Lig. Punishments range from 45-day bans to season-long suspensions.
Only one foreign player has been implicated: Alassane Ndao, a Senegalese winger with Konyaspor, who received a twelve-month ban. The majority of those sanctioned—over 900 players—compete in Turkey’s lower leagues.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities anticipate further arrests and sanctions as they continue to uncover the full extent of the betting network within Turkish football.
