Galatasaray suspend ties with Turkish federation over Yasin Kol appointment for Fenerbahçe derby

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·24. April 2026

Galatasaray suspend ties with Turkish federation over Yasin Kol appointment for Fenerbahçe derby

Galatasaray have suspended relations with the Turkish Football Federation, the club said in a statement, after Yasin Kol was appointed to take charge of Sunday’s 19:00 derby with Fenerbahçe.

The Istanbul rivals meet with Galatasaray top on 71 points and Fenerbahçe second on 67, in a match that could shape the title race in Türkiye.

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Kol oversaw the reverse fixture, a 1-1 draw, and a separate derby between Fenerbahçe and Besiktas that ended 1-0, when he awarded a contentious penalty in the 90+11 minute that revived Fenerbahçe’s challenge to Galatasaray’s frustration.

Fenerbahçe responded on social media, mocking what it cast as favourable calls for Galatasaray and questioning whether the match would be suspended too.

Galatasaray hit back by asking if Fenerbahçe had a hand in the appointment, before Fenerbahçe closed the exchange by saying people judge others by themselves.

Source: L'Équipe