46 Footballers Jailed in Turkey Amid Massive Match-Fixing and Betting Scandal
Turkish football has been rocked by one of the biggest scandals in its history. More than 1,000 players and 149 referees are under investigation for illegal betting activities, with 46 suspects — including Super Lig footballers — already taken into custody.
The case began unfolding in October 2025, when the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) launched a large-scale investigation into individuals directly influencing match outcomes while placing bets on football games.
The entire country froze when TFF president İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu addressed the public at an official press conference. He revealed that 371 referees were found to have active bookmaker accounts — over 65% of all registered referees, with 571 officials officially listed by the federation.
The scandal goes far beyond referees. A total of 1,024 footballers from all divisions of Turkish football are now under suspicion. Due to the scale of the investigation, the federation was forced to suspend competitions in lower leagues, as there were not enough “clean” players left to stage matches.
Top Clubs and Star Players Involved
Several well-known players from Turkey’s biggest clubs are implicated in the case. Among them are:
- Necip Uysal and Ersin Destanoğlu (Beşiktaş)
- Eren Elmalı and Metehan Baltacı (Galatasaray)
- Boran Başkan and Salih Malhocoğlu (Trabzonspor)
- Mert Hakan Yandaş, captain of Fenerbahçe
Elmalı and Baltacı have already admitted guilt. Elmalı insists that he only placed bets on matches in which he did not participate, but his confession is unlikely to spare him from punishment.
On December 5, Turkish media reported that Baltacı and Yandaş were formally arrested. According to investigators, between late 2021 and October 2025, Yandaş transferred money to Ersen Dikmen, a Fenerbahçe congress member and another suspect in the case.
The total amount wagered across multiple bets reached nearly 4.5 million Turkish lira. Crucially, Yandaş is accused of betting on matches in which he himself played.
Metahan Baltacı, formerly of Galatasaray, operated a bookmaker account and placed 27 bets. Those wagers did not bring profit — only a prison sentence.
A Referee, a TV Pundit, and a Suspicious Draw
The scandal also involves former referee and current TV commentator Ahmet Çakar. In the 1990s, he officiated Turkish Cup finals, Champions League matches, and worked at Euro 1996.
Çakar was briefly detained but later released due to serious health issues. Media reports indicate he suffered heart complications and was hospitalized. He is now awaiting trial while free.
Turkish journalist Murat Ağırel began noticing alarming patterns as early as 2024. One match in particular raised red flags: Ankaraspor vs Nazilli Belediyespor.
Bets on a home win totaled just over €600, bets on an away win amounted to €17, while more than €30,000 was placed on a draw.
The final score? 0–0 exactly.
Ağırel fears that if the investigation expands further, the scandal could cross Turkey’s borders and become international. For now, however, the criminal case remains limited to Turkish clubs and players.
Clubs React, Federation Promises Differentiated Sanctions
Officially, all clubs have expressed support for the federation’s actions. Many teams swiftly removed implicated players from their squads. Beşiktaş, for instance, immediately stripped Necip Uysal of his captaincy and excluded him from the lineup.
At the same time, the Turkish Football Federation has emphasized that not all suspects are repeat offenders. According to their data, some individuals may have placed only a single bet. As a result, sanctions will be individualized, and not everyone will face lengthy bans or lifetime suspensions.
Still, the damage has already been done. Turkish football is facing a crisis of trust — one that may take years to repair.
Published by Patrick Jane
12.12.2025