Over 1,000 Turkish footballers suspended in betting probe

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has suspended 1,024 professional players from all leagues pending a disciplinary review amid an explosive investigation into alleged sports betting and match manipulation that has rocked the nation’s most popular sport.

The sweeping action was announced late on Nov. 10 and follows weeks of intensifying scrutiny that has already resulted in the suspension of nearly 150 referees and assistant referees for betting violations. The federation has referred all implicated players to the Professional Football Disciplinary Council (PFDK) under Article 57 of its disciplinary code, which strictly prohibits gambling on football matches.

The accused footballers face administrative penalties, ranging from fines to 12 months of suspension, for violating the TFF’s disciplinary code.

They may face criminal investigation and jail time if they are found to have attempted to manipulate the outcome of the matches.

Among those suspended are 27 players from the top-tier Süper Lig, including reigning champion Galatasaray’s Eren Elmalı and Metehan Baltacı and Necip Uysal and Ersin Destanoğlu of Beşiktaş. The vast majority of those referred, over 900 players, are from the TFF’s Second and Third Leagues.

Elmalı was removed from the national team squad that will play Bulgaria and Spain in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers after the announcement was made.

The moves came after the TFF earlier this month suspended 149 referees and assistant referees after an investigation found that the officials working in the country's professional leagues were betting on football matches.

An Istanbul court on Nov. 10 ruled to arrest Murat Özkaya, chairman of Süper Lig club Eyüpspor, and seven others as part of a criminal investigation into alleged match fixing.

In a press conference on Oct. 27, TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu described the situation as a “moral crisis in Turkish football” and vowed to restore integrity to the game.

To manage the immediate fallout, the TFF announced the postponement of all Second and Third League matches for two weeks, allowing affected clubs time to address severe squad shortages.

The federation is also urgently seeking FIFA's approval for a special 15-day domestic transfer window that would allow clubs across all divisions to sign replacements.

"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 in a statement.

The TFF stated that it is in ongoing correspondence with official institutions and the investigation will continue and may expand based on the responses received.