TFF Uncovers Massive Referee Betting Scandal

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) revealed an internal five-year probe found 371 of 571 active referees held betting accounts and that 152 were actively gambling, including seven referees and 15 assistant referees from the top divisions. The review found staggering wagering: ten referees placed more than 10,000 bets each, 42 officials wagered on over 1,000 matches, and one official made 18,227 bets. The TFF said it will immediately refer implicated match officials to its disciplinary board under federation rules (including Article 57) and pursue sanctions ranging from suspensions to bans. The federation said it has shared its findings with state institutions and international bodies such as FIFA and UEFA and that the probe also scrutinized parts of its own administration. President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu described the effort as part of a broader integrity drive to "clean up" Turkish football, and the disclosures have triggered urgent disciplinary proceedings and intensified scrutiny of match officials.