Turkish authorities have detained 32 suspects, including senior officials from several football clubs, as part of an expanding probe into alleged match-fixing and illegal betting across the country’s professional leagues, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced on Feb. 20.
In a statement, prosecutors said the suspects were found to have placed wagers on matches involving their own teams, including bets on opposing sides during official fixtures.
The latest operation has specifically targeted club executives.
Among the clubs whose administrators were detained are Göztepe, Konyaspor, Alanyaspor, Antalyaspor, Kocaelispor, Gençlerbirliği and Sivasspor from the Süper Lig.
Police carried out coordinated raids across 10 provinces to apprehend the suspects, while efforts were continuing to capture one remaining individual, prosecutors added.
The detentions come amid a broadening crackdown by Turkish authorities on illegal betting and match manipulation in professional football, including the top-tier Süper Lig.
As part of the wider investigation, the Turkish Football Federation has suspended 149 referees and assistant referees for betting on matches, and dozens of people, among them club chairmen, top-flight players and commentators, have been detained or arrested.
The scandal first erupted in October 2025, when TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu publicly disclosed that 371 referees were found to have betting accounts and 152 had actively placed bets.
His remarks were treated as an official complaint, prompting prosecutors to open a broad investigation into referees, club personnel and players.
