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Türkiye’s football authorities have taken one of the most extensive disciplinary steps in recent years as part of an ongoing investigation into illegal betting within professional football.
The Turkish Football Federasyonu announced on Jan. 7, 2026, that a total of 212 individuals linked to professional football have been referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) after officials determined they had placed bets while actively working in the sport.
According to the federation’s statement, the referrals cover individuals who worked in professional leagues over the past five years and were found to have violated the Disciplinary Instruction’s Article 57, which prohibits betting by registered football officials.
All individuals named in the investigation have been referred to the board with precautionary measures, meaning they may face temporary restrictions while disciplinary proceedings continue.
The federation confirmed that 108 technical officials and 104 licensed football agents have been referred to the PFDK under the same disciplinary provision.
In its official notice, the TFF said the investigation focused on individuals who held professional roles during the last five years and placed bets during their active registration period.
The statement read: “Within the scope of the betting investigation conducted by the Turkish Football Federasyonu, it has been decided that the individuals identified as having placed bets while actively registered shall be referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board as of 07.01.2026, with precautionary measures, in accordance with Article 57 of the Football Disciplinary Instruction.”
The federation published full name lists for both groups. The list of football agents includes 104 names, while the technical staff list contains 108 individuals who served in professional leagues during the period examined.
The referral does not constitute a final ruling. It marks the start of a formal disciplinary process under TFF regulations.
Key points of the referral process include:
The Professional Football Disciplinary Board will now review each case separately and decide on possible sanctions under federation rules.
The TFF did not provide a timeline for the board’s decisions or specify potential penalties in its public statements.
The betting investigation remains ongoing, according to both federation statements cited by Turkish media. The TFF has not indicated whether further referrals may follow or whether additional categories of football officials are under review.
The federation has emphasized that the process is being conducted within the framework of existing disciplinary regulations and that all decisions will be announced through official channels once the PFDK completes its assessments.
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