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17 football officials were arrested in Turkey
Turkish authorities opened a new chapter in the biggest scandal to rock Turkish football on Friday, arresting officials from 17 league clubs as part of a widening investigation into illegal betting and match-fixing.
The arrests were made in simultaneous raids by security forces in Istanbul and nine other provinces after a thorough analysis of data from legal betting platforms between 2020 and 2026.
The investigations revealed according to the official Anatolia Agency report and report Media: Turkey about the suspects’ involvement in betting during their official positions at their clubs.
The list includes four officials from Turkish football powerhouses Galatasaray and Besiktas, two more suspects have been issued arrest warrants, and the search is still ongoing.
Turkey’s Minister of Justice Yilmaz Tun, in a statement on the “X” platform, confirmed that the state is continuing its fight.
“We continue to resolutely fight against illegal betting, violence in sport, match-fixing and the proceeds of crime… We will deal decisively with any structure, relationship or behavior that raises suspicions, undermines the spirit of sport and calls into question the integrity of football.”
The roots of the scandal go back to October last year, when the Turkish Football Federation made a huge surprise by revealing that a large number of referees were involved in betting on matches. The investigation quickly expanded to include players and officials from Premier League clubs, with hundreds being referred to the Disciplinary Committee, while dozens faced criminal charges before the court system.
The crisis comes at a sensitive time, a painful blow to the revival of Turkish football, which experienced a major renaissance when its team qualified for the World Cup after a 24-year absence before exiting the tournament at the group stage.
Our president Mr. @RTerdogan:under the leadership of, in close coordination with our Ministry of Internal Affairs; We are determined to continue our fight against illegal betting, violence in sports, match-fixing and the proceeds of crime. Football is remembered for fairness, work and sweat…
— Aken Gurlek (@abakingurlek) July 17, 2026
