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One of Türkiye’s leading football clubs, Fenerbahce, turns its focus to an upcoming presidential election as its shares on Borsa Istanbul rise more than 10% during the week, even as its Super Lig title hopes fade following a heavy derby loss to Galatasaray.
Incumbent president Sadettin Saran announced an extraordinary electoral congress to be held on June 6–7 this week, just seven months after taking over from former president Ali Koc.
He described the move as a step to "open the way for Fenerbahce" and launch a process that could mark a major turning point for a club still trying to end its 12-year title drought.
Following the announcement, several prominent business figures put their names forward, including Hakan Safi, owner of port operator Safi Holding, and Baris Gokturk, head of steelmaker Gokturk Holding, both of whom were on the club’s executive board in the past.
Although he has not formally declared his candidacy, Mehmet Ali Aydinlar, chairman of the private health care provider Acibadem Group, is also widely seen as a potential contender.
The club’s legendary president, Aziz Yildirim, who led the club for 20 years from 1998 to 2018, also stated that he will decide in the coming days whether to run or not.
Former president Ali Koc, vice chairman of Türkiye’s leading conglomerate Koc Holding, is not expected to enter the race.
Whoever the candidates are, they are associated with ambitious pledges, including ending the 12-year Super Lig title drought, returning to the UEFA Champions League after 17 years, revitalizing the club’s revenue streams by advancing stalled real estate projects, and either redeveloping the Sukru Saracoglu Sports Complex in Kadikoy or building a new stadium elsewhere.
On the sporting side, Aydinlar’s team is reported to have held an initial exchange of views with high-profile German coach Jurgen Klopp, outlining Fenerbahce’s targets for a new era and the broad authority they would offer him.
Mehmet Ali Aydinlar, 69, previously served as a Fenerbahce executive and managed the club’s women’s volleyball team from 2007 to 2011. He later led the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) from June 2011 to January 2012, during a period marked by a match-fixing investigation targeting Fenerbahce’s 2010–11 Super Lig title.
Fenerbahce was later cleared by Turkish courts, which found the case had been orchestrated by the FETO terrorist organization using unlawful evidence and baseless claims. The process caused significant sporting and financial damage to the club and is widely seen as a key trigger behind its prolonged period of instability.
Aydinlar remains one of the most controversial figures among supporters, largely due to his decision as TFF president to bar Fenerbahce from the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League, a move that continues to draw sharp criticism from fans.
He ran against then-president Aziz Yildirim in 2013 and lost, securing just 25% of the vote.
Yildirim, who was arrested during the plot operations, is known for his strong opposition to Aydinlar over his actions as TFF president. Tensions between the two sides appeared to ease in 2018 when Acibadem signed a sponsorship deal with Fenerbahce.
Most recently, Yildirim is said to have decided not to enter the race and could instead back Aydinlar during the congress, business-focused ekonomim.com reported on Friday.
Aydinlar has recently stepped up contacts across business and sports circles and is working on a strong management slate alongside a comprehensive project, the report said. The proposed framework focuses on financial sustainability, institutional restructuring, and sporting development.
The road to the election is shaped not only by on-field performance but also by the club’s financial condition and long-term vision. A report covering the period from June 1, 2025, to Feb. 28, 2026, puts Fenerbahce’s total debt at ₺27.3 billion ($604.75 million).
Fenerbahce’s presidential elections attract broad national attention in Türkiye, often sparking intense debate among supporters and sustained media focus on candidates and their projects, with more than 25,000 congress members expected to vote.
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