After Fenerbahçe’s title dreams took a crushing hit in a 1-0 home defeat to archrival Beşiktaş, unrest is boiling over among fans and club members, with calls intensifying for President Ali Koç to resign and the club to hold an extraordinary election.
The loss at Kadıköy, a major blow in the Süper Lig title race, triggered an immediate backlash.
Fans at Ülker Stadium turned from hopeful to furious after Beşiktaş’s goal, unleashing waves of boos and chants calling for the board’s resignation.
The protests spilled into the streets outside the stadium and later reached the club’s Samandıra facilities, prompting police to set up barriers at key exits as tensions mounted.
In Denizli, longtime Fenerbahçe supporter and businessman Emrah Tünay – once part of Aziz Yıldırım’s presidential list and now president of the Fenerbahçe Volunteers Association – spearheaded a notarized signature campaign calling for an extraordinary congress. “We carry a historic responsibility on our shoulders,” said Tünay. “This is no longer just about poor results on the pitch. We are facing a leadership crisis – sporting, financial, and administrative.”
Tünay’s call to action quickly resonated with local congress members, who gathered at a notary office in Denizli to add their names to the petition.
Organized largely via social media, the group stressed unity in crisis, declaring that the club’s fate demanded collective courage, not silence.
“The time for hope has passed,” Tünay said in a statement. “This is the time to act – for every member who’s waited, disappointed, and heartbroken. We are launching this campaign not in anger, but in responsibility. I invite every congress member to join this historic effort to safeguard our club’s future.”
The movement is gaining steam online, with Fenerbahçe fans flooding platforms with support for a leadership change.
Many congress members have publicly pledged their support for the campaign.
Since Ali Koç took the helm in 2018, Fenerbahçe has not lifted the Süper Lig trophy, and patience among fans has grown thin. While Koç has been praised for his financial reforms and attempts to modernize the club, the lack of on-pitch success – especially against rivals – has left a bitter taste.