Football in Turkey is facing a new and massive integrity scandal. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF), led by Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, has revealed that, out of 571 active referees in professional leagues, 152 were actively betting on matches. This unprecedented finding has put the international football community on alert.

The figures presented by the TFF are alarming: 371 referees had betting accounts, and the number of active ones rises to 152. The problem affects all refereeing categories, including seven top-level referees. In fact, ten referees placed more than 10,000 bets, with an extreme case of one individual making over 18,000.

Haciosmanoglu described the announcement as a “key day” and emphasized the need to restore ethics in the sport. In collaboration with government authorities, the TFF will immediately initiate disciplinary procedures. The files will be sent to the Disciplinary Board (PFDK), applying Law No. 6222 and a statute of limitations of five years.

The results of this investigation have been shared with FIFA and, especially, with UEFA. Besides internal cleaning, the federation seeks to strengthen trust through a training initiative to attract young talents to refereeing, aiming for a “clean and resilient structure.”

The TFF has urged clubs to also self-evaluate their players, warning that otherwise, the federation will act in other areas with state institutions. The names of the implicated referees are expected to be handed over to the Disciplinary Board in the coming days, while individual cases are reviewed within legal deadlines.