Betting Scandalโ Puts Turkey‘s World Cup Hopes in Jeopardy
Turkey’s potential return to the FIFA โWorld Cup is under threat following a widespread betting โscandal currently engulfing Turkish football. โฃInvestigationsโ are underway that could lead to the โnational team’s exclusion from the โ2026 tournament inโ the USA,Mexico,andโ Canada,according to FIFA regulations.
the scandal centers around allegations that hundreds ofโข referees actively participated in sportsโ betting. Reports from Turkish television stationโฃ “habertรผrk,” citing judicial sources, indicate investigationsโค are alsoโ extending to players and โขclubs, with a โคtotal โขof 3,700 individuals potentially facingโ disciplinary proceedings.
FIFA possesses the authority to exclude a national associationโฃ if it is deemed to have endangered the integrity of theโ sport. Beyond potential exclusion, individuals involved – players, referees, andโ officials โค- could face fines and suspensions, and the Turkish โFootball Association โฃcould be subject to further sanctions.
Currently,โค Turkey is in aโค strong position to qualify forโ the World Cup. They sit second โin Group Eโ of the European qualifying stage with nine points,trailing group leader Spain by threeโข points,but holding a six-point advantage over Georgia. The group winner qualifies directly for the tournament. Evenโ if they finish second, Turkey is likelyโ to participate in a playoff tournament involving the twelve group runners-up โand the four best-placedโข group โขwinners from โฃthe โUEFA nations League who haven’t already qualified, competing for the final four qualifying spots.
However, the outcome โof โฃtheseโ qualifying efforts now โhangs inโข the balance as the investigation unfolds. Turkey last appeared โฃin a World Cup inโ 2002, achieving a third-place finish in Japan and Southโฃ Korea.