Türkiye betting scandal widens as prosecutors order detention of 46 players and officials

Türkiye’s football integrity crisis deepened on Friday, 5 December, as Istanbul prosecutors ordered the detention of 46 people — including top-tier players, club presidents, referees and commentators — in a sweeping probe into insider betting and possible match-fixing across the professional leagues.

Prosecutors in Istanbul have issued arrest warrants for 46 suspects linked to an expanding football betting scandal that is shaking Türkiye’s professional game. Those targeted include 29 players from top-flight and lower-league clubs, several current and former club presidents, well-known TV commentators and match officials.

Authorities said on Friday that 35 of the 46 suspects had already been detained, while five are believed to be abroad. Among the players under investigation are Galatasaray defender Metehan Baltacı and Fenerbahçe midfielder Mert Hakan Yandaş, both accused of placing bets on matches involving their own teams — in Yandaş’s case allegedly via a third-party account.

Investigators allege that 27 players bet on games involving their clubs and are examining suspected match-fixing in at least two third-tier fixtures played in 2023 and 2024. The case is being pursued under Türkiye’s sports-integrity law, which criminalises manipulating results in connection with betting and can carry prison sentences of up to three years or more, depending on the role of those involved.

The latest wave of arrests follows earlier disciplinary and criminal action. In October and November, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees and assistants after uncovering widespread betting by match officials, and referred a total of 1,024 players to its disciplinary committee over similar violations. Eight suspects, including a club president and several referees, were already arrested in previous phases of the probe.

Taken together, these measures underline the scale of the crisis facing Turkish football. With investigations now reaching into dressing rooms, boardrooms and commentary boxes, regulators and prosecutors are under pressure to show that they can restore trust in domestic competitions and protect the integrity of betting markets connected to Türkiye’s leagues.