17.07.2026 18:50
Turkish Football Federation Vice President Mecnun Otyakmaz has denied claims that the half-time break in the Süper Lig will be extended to 30 minutes. Otyakmaz said, "It is against the nature of football."
Just before the start of the 2026-2027 season in the Süper Lig, a highly debated claim has emerged in Turkish football.
CLAIM: "HALF-TIME WILL BE 30 MINUTES"
According to a report on HT Spor; it was alleged that the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) plans to double the current 15-minute half-time break in Süper Lig matches, extending it to 30 minutes. According to the claims, the biggest factor behind the TFF considering this radical idea was FIFA's decision for the 2026 World Cup final, which will be held in the Americas. FIFA decided to increase the half-time break to 30 minutes for the cup final to allow for Super Bowl-style grand stage shows and to boost commercial revenue. It was stated that the TFF would closely follow this global experiment and, depending on the success of the organization and broadcast flow, might consider integrating a similar model into the Süper Lig.
IMMEDIATE DENIAL FROM THE TFF
TFF Vice President Mecnun Otyakmaz made statements to Ayhan Şensoy from Ajansspor, saying that the news in question did not reflect the truth. In his statement, Otyakmaz said, "We have no intention of making the half-time break 30 minutes in the new season of the Süper Lig. This could be a Zaytung article. Besides, this situation is against the nature of football. The public should not heed such news."