31.12.2025 11:53
Turkish football had a stormy year in 2025. The process, which started with the foreign VAR decision, continued with major transfers, controversial derbies, the championship race, presidential elections, and a historic betting investigation. Here are all the developments that marked 2025…
The year 2025 hosted many significant developments in Turkish football. The discussions that began with the foreign VAR decision, the controversial derbies, and record transfers made the year lively, culminating in Galatasaray's declaration of its 25th championship. While Fenerbahçe experienced a presidential election, the betting investigation announced by the TFF became the biggest agenda of the year. Elections, arrests, PFDK referrals, and harsh decisions from clubs made 2025 unforgettable. According to Habermetre's report, the betting scandal that erupted in Turkish football became the most read sports news of 2025.
STARTED WITH THE FOREIGN VAR DECISION
The year 2025 brought new discussions in Turkish football. In response to increasing reactions against referees and VAR referees, the TFF announced on January 8, 2025, that foreign VAR referees would officiate temporarily in the remaining part of the Super League.
TRANSFER SHOW FROM FENERBAHÇE: TALISCA AND SKRINIAR
In the first month of the year, the transfer agenda was energized by Fenerbahçe's moves. The yellow-navy blue team added Anderson Talisca, who previously wore the Beşiktaş jersey, to their squad, while also drawing attention with the transfer of Milan Skriniar from PSG.
MUSLERA'S "IT'S OVER" SIGN BECAME AGENDA
Galatasaray's matches against Dinamo Kiev and Ajax on the European stage set the agenda. The yellow-reds, who set out with the goal of reaching the top 8 in the UEFA Europa League, became the focus of criticism after the draw with Dinamo Kiev and the loss to Ajax. During the Dinamo Kiev match, Fernando Muslera's gesture of "It's over" as he went to the dressing room after the score reached 3-3 was talked about for a long time.
GALATASARAY'S MORATA MOVE
In the winter transfer period, Galatasaray turned to a star name for a striker reinforcement after Mauro Icardi's injury. Alvaro Morata, who previously played for giants like Real Madrid, Juventus, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, and Milan, became the new striker for the yellow-reds.
ADANA DEMİRSPOR WITHDREW FROM THE FIELD
An event that went down in history occurred during the Galatasaray–Adana Demirspor match played in February. Galatasaray took the lead 1-0 in the 12th minute with a goal from Alvaro Morata. Adana Demirspor withdrew from the field in the 30th minute. The match was later recorded as a 3-0 victory for Galatasaray.
FOREIGN REFEREE AFTER 55 YEARS IN THE DERBY
In the Galatasaray–Fenerbahçe derby played at RAMS Park on February 24, Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic officiated. Vincic made history as the first foreign referee to officiate a derby in Turkey after 55 years. The match ended in a 0-0 draw.
MOURINHO'S WORDS AND OKAN BURUK'S HARSH RESPONSE
After the derby, Fenerbahçe's head coach Jose Mourinho's words about the opposing bench, "They jumped like monkeys," drew great backlash. Galatasaray's head coach Okan Buruk responded to Mourinho with a reference to "The Crying One," further escalating the discussions.
CONTROVERSIAL DERBY IN THE CUP: MOURINHO'S "NOSE PINCHING" MOVE
Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe faced each other again on April 2 in the quarter-finals of the Turkish Cup in Kadıköy. Galatasaray won the match 2-1 to advance, while the events that occurred afterward were reflected in the world press. Jose Mourinho's act of pinching Okan Buruk's nose on the field caused a huge uproar. Mourinho received a 3-match ban.
GALATASARAY'S 25TH CHAMPIONSHIP AND 5 STARS
Galatasaray declared its championship by defeating Kayserispor 3-0 on May 18. The yellow-reds became the first team to reach their 25th championship and wear the 5th star.
FENERBAHÇE'S LONGING LASTED ANOTHER YEAR
After being eliminated by Rangers in Europe, Fenerbahçe also lost to Galatasaray in the cup, bidding farewell. Although the championship race in the Super League continued until the 36th week, Galatasaray's declaration of its championship extended the yellow-navy blue team's longing for another year.
FAREWELL FROM ACUN ILICALI
Acun Ilıcalı, who was on Ali Koç's management list at Fenerbahçe, announced on June 11, 2025, that he was leaving his position.
GALATASARAY'S SANE AND OSIMHEN BOMBSHELL
Galatasaray started the summer transfer period quickly. The arrival of Leroy Sane, whose contract with Bayern Munich expired, in Istanbul made a big splash. Subsequently, the transfer of Victor Osimhen, which the fans initiated a campaign for, also reached a happy ending. Galatasaray signed Osimhen for a transfer fee of 75 million euros, making it the most expensive transfer in Turkish football history.
FENERBAHÇE'S KEREM AGENDA AND BENFICA MATCHUP
Fenerbahçe advanced past Feyenoord in the Champions League qualifiers but was eliminated by Benfica.
While the transfer of Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who plays for Benfica, to Fenerbahçe was on the agenda, it was claimed that this transfer did not take place due to the Benfica match.
THE MOURINHO ERA HAS OFFICIALLY ENDED
Fenerbahçe parted ways with Jose Mourinho two days after losing to Benfica on August 27. It was stated that the Portuguese coach's harsh statements before the rematch were influential in the separation.
THE SERGEN YALÇIN ERA HAS RESUMED AT BEŞİKTAŞ
Beşiktaş entrusted the head coach position to Sergen Yalçın again after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Yalçın started his second term at the black-and-white club.
ELECTION AT FENERBAHÇE: SARAN BECAME PRESIDENT
An extraordinary general assembly took place at Fenerbahçe on September 21. Ali Koç and Sadettin Saran competed. After Hakan Bilal Kutlualp withdrew his candidacy, Sadettin Saran won the election and became the new president of Fenerbahçe.
THE BIGGEST PROCESS OF 2025: BETTING INVESTIGATION
The biggest agenda in Turkish football this year was the "betting investigation." TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu announced at a press conference on October 27 that 371 out of 571 referees had betting accounts, and 152 of them were actively betting. This statement created a significant break in football history.
PFDK REFERRALS, PENALTIES, AND ARRESTS
As part of the investigation, players were referred to the PFDK. Eren Elmalı and Metehan Baltacı from Galatasaray; Necip Uysal and Ersin Destanoğlu from Beşiktaş were highlighted. It was reported that Necip and Ersin filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor's office, claiming their identity numbers were copied. The arrest of Metehan Baltacı further escalated the agenda.
During the investigation process, it was stated that 8 suspects, including Eyüpspor President Murat Özkaya, were arrested, and in December, Mert Hakan Yandaş was also detained and arrested. The arrest of Murat Sancak, the release of Ahmet Çakar under judicial control, and the process experienced by referee Zorbay Küçük were among the hottest topics of the year.
BEŞİKTAŞ'S STATEMENT ON NECİP UYSAL AND MERT GÜNOK
Beşiktaş announced on December 26 that Necip Uysal and Mert Günok needed to find clubs. It was announced that if they could not find clubs, they would train separately from the team.
ARREST WARRANT FOR ERDEN TİMUR
As the year came to a close, another significant development occurred in the investigation process. It was reported that Erden Timur, who was detained as part of the "betting" investigation, was arrested for "money laundering from crime."
On the other hand, the news analysis and reporting company Habermetre listed the most reported and read sports news topics in 2025. At the top of the list was the betting scandal that erupted in Turkish football.
Here is the complete list;
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