Turkey entered October 4, 2026, with 448 current and former football executives referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) over alleged sports-betting violations, in the largest phase so far of a crackdown that has already reached referees, players and representatives. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) formally referred the cases on September 30, applying Article 57 of the Football Disciplinary Regulations on a precautionary basis.
The review covers the previous five years and affects individuals linked to clubs in the Süper Lig and TFF 1. Lig. Around 171 of those under investigation related to top-flight clubs. Among the country’s biggest teams, the list includes 13 names linked to Trabzonspor, 10 to Beşiktaş, five to Galatasaray and three to Fenerbahçe.
Hakan Daltaban
Among those named are Ertuğrul Doğan, president of Trabzonspor; Hakan Daltaban, vice president of Beşiktaş; Aral Emir Aral, a Galatasaray board member; and Maruf Güneş, vice president of Galatasaray Sportif AŞ. Doğan acknowledged that he had previously held a betting account but said it had been closed before the case emerged and denied any intention to violate the rules.
The PFDK, chaired by Başbuğ Pınarbaşı, will determine any sanctions. The TFF remains headed by İbrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu, while the wider institutional investigation is being coordinated with the ministries of Justice, Interior, and Youth and Sports.
The scandal had already led to the suspension of 149 referees, investigations involving 1,024 players, and the referral of another 32 representatives in January 2026. A parallel investigation has also shaken the refereeing structure; Ferhat Gündoğdu, then head of the Central Refereeing Committee (MHK), resigned on October 4 amid a judicial probe that also involved six other suspects. The TFF has said that since April 2025 it has filed complaints with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office concerning betting and illegal gambling. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek remains in office after taking the post in February 2026.
