03.06.2026 21:30
Antalyaspor A.Ş. President Rıza Perçin announced that they have decided to hold a financial and electoral general assembly. Referring to the lack of support for the club, Rıza Perçin said, 'Antalyaspor is struggling financially. We are running a campaign, and the amount collected is 316,000 liras! I had a friend donate 100,000 liras of that. Another 100,000 liras are the 19.05 lira donations sent mockingly by Galatasaray fans!'
Antalyaspor A. Ş. President Rıza Perçin and Antalyaspor Club President Mustafa Ergün met with the press at Atilla Vehbi Konuk Facilities.
During the meeting, the process following the team's relegation, the current financial situation, player payments, FIFA risk, tax and social security debts, as well as the decision for a financial and electoral general assembly, were shared. The Antalyaspor management stated that they take responsibility for the situation that emerged after relegation, while calling for the city to unite for the club's future.
"I APOLOGIZE TO THIS CITY"
Rıza Perçin, President of Antalyaspor A. Ş., described the club's relegation as "an unhappy movie ending" and said the management takes responsibility for the situation at the end of the season. Perçin said, "First of all, if we look at this season as a movie, the movie ends unhappily. The director of this movie is me and the board of directors. I first apologize to the city. Although there are many reasons, the causes were not important, the result was. I apologize to the entire city. I, the board of directors, all our friends, and our club president take responsibility together. We apologize for putting this city in this situation. We are aware of this embarrassment. Even though it hurts, the end of this movie, this book, is important. The end of the book is 'The end,' an unhappy ending. We were relegated."
Stating that they were deeply saddened as a management after the team's relegation, Perçin said they faced the club's urgent financial problems the next morning.
"WE HAD TO MAKE PAYMENTS WITHOUT EVEN GRIEVING"
Explaining that they faced player payments and risks of rightful termination immediately after relegation, Perçin stated that for Samuel Ballet, whom he described as one of the most valuable players, a payment of over 150 thousand euros was required. Perçin said, "When we were relegated on Sunday, I assure you, no one here was more upset than myself, the board of directors, or President Mustafa. We were very sad, but beyond sadness, we faced a result that would affect our lives from now on. We could have left, turned off the ignition, but at 9:30 in the morning, there was an urgent notice to be paid at the club. That was the payment for our most valuable player, whose name is being mentioned in transfers elsewhere. The amount was over 150 thousand euros, over 8 million liras. Without even being able to grieve, we went to solve this in the morning," he said.
Perçin noted that if the payment was not made, the player would have the right to terminate his contract rightfully, which would place the club under a heavier financial burden. "If we couldn't pay this, in three days there would be a rightful termination. The player would become a free agent, would receive payment for unplayed periods and his contract, and could start training with another team a week later. We first eliminated that. There was no money here. President Mustafa found money here and there, we found it. The club's income is fixed," he stated.
"WE HAVE A YELLOW CARD FROM FIFA"
Stating that delays in player payments put the club at serious risk with FIFA, Perçin said they are making great efforts to prevent Antalyaspor from facing new sanctions. "Player salaries are not paid, they become free agents and the club faces the obligation to pay the contract amount. We are three months behind on salaries. Yesterday we paid one month's salary to foreign players. If you don't pay these, FIFA tells you 'Pay this,' but when a player rightfully terminates, FIFA definitely does not allow it. We currently have a yellow card from FIFA. We are struggling not to get a red card. If we get a red card, we could face transfer bans for two or three periods, followed by point deductions and situations like Adana Demirspor experienced. We are trying to keep the club standing," he explained.
"HERE YOU GO, FRIENDS, THE SEAT"
Emphasizing that responsibility, beyond criticism, must be taken for the club's future, Perçin stressed that the management is not clinging to their seats. "No one is saying 'What are you doing?' Have we clung to the seat? Here you go, friends, the seat. If anyone wants it, come on, let us step down. We haven't clung to the seat," he said.
"IF WE HADN'T KEPT QUIET TODAY. . ."
Perçin said that players also experienced uncertainty after relegation, and if the management had immediately resigned, the club would have faced a much heavier payment schedule. "There are ongoing player contracts. After relegation, players started asking, 'Is the president leaving? Is the boss leaving? Who are we dealing with?' Everyone put us at risk with FIFA. We convinced our friends by saying, 'We will pay one month's salary next week, and another salary in 15-20 days.' Yesterday we paid foreign players. We hope to pay our domestic players within the week," he stated.
"THE CLUB IS FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING"
Explaining why the management did not immediately announce elections after relegation, Perçin said, "If we hadn't kept quiet for 15 days, if we had said 'We are holding elections, we are leaving, we are resigning,' the amount to be paid today would have been 3.5-4 million euros. How could a club that struggles to pay 1 million euros pay 4 million euros at that moment? Now we have two more notices ahead of us. We are trying to pay these too. This club is financially struggling," he said.
"AS IF GALATASARAY FANS ARE MOCKING. . ."
Stating that the expected support for the campaign launched to help the club was not achieved, Perçin said the amount collected was insufficient compared to the current situation. "We are running a campaign. 316 thousand liras were collected in the campaign. I personally had a friend donate 100 thousand of that, leaving 216 thousand liras. Another 100 thousand is from the 19.05 amounts sent mockingly by Galatasaray fans after the Fenerbahçe-Galatasaray match. Arguments, elections, this and that. This is not the time for this club. This is a place where everyone should stand shoulder to shoulder, be together," he stated.
"WE WILL HAVE A FINANCIAL AND ELECTORAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON JUNE 19"
Announcing that they have decided on a financial and electoral general assembly at Antalyaspor, Rıza Perçin declared that the general assembly will be held on Friday, June 19. Perçin said he does not plan to run for the presidency under the current circumstances.
Perçin said, "As of yesterday, we made a decision for a financial and electoral general assembly. Our financial and electoral general assembly will take place on Friday, June 19. As a result, we have been relegated from this league. I wish discussions had focused on why and how we were relegated, and how we shouldn't have left it to the final match, instead of all this commentary. Yes, there were misfortunes. We finished the season without winning a single penalty."
''I AM NOT A CANDIDATE FOR NOW''
Reminding that he had previously expressed his desire to leave the position during the season, Perçin stated, "It was the Gençlerbirliği-Samsun match or the week after; we were in 12th place. I said, 'I am leaving the position, I want to leave the position.' I said this at a press conference or in an interview with a journalist. I said, 'Please, let someone come.' We were 12th at that time. It was a manageable situation. Our morale was very high. There was no one around that day. Now everyone is saying 'resign'. Are there any friends? You will ask if I am a candidate at the general assembly on the 19th. I am not a candidate for now."
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