TFF secretary general Abdullah Ayaz resigns as exits mount

Abdullah Ayaz has stepped down as secretary general of Turkey's football governing body, the TFF. According to a statement published on the federation's website on 7 October 2026, Ayaz submitted his resignation on 5 October 2026. The news was reported the same day by outlets including the state news agency Anadolu Agency.

Ayaz is the latest in a string of departures from the Turkish federation. As the nephew of TFF president İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, his appointment had been under public scrutiny from the start. The federation did not give a reason for his resignation.

The TFF announced the resignation in a brief written statement that gave the date of his departure and thanked him, without explaining why he left. In English translation, the federation wrote:

Abdullah Ayaz had served as TFF secretary general since July 2024. According to Ajansspor, the federation's board of directors appointed him after İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu was elected president. Because he is the president's nephew, the appointment caused considerable controversy in Turkey at the time. The secretary general is the senior official in charge of the federation's day-to-day administration.

Ayaz is not the only official to have quit in recent days. As Sözcü noted, board member Mevlüt Aktan announced his own departure before Ayaz. In a statement reported by the Turkish press, Aktan sharply criticised how the current leadership makes decisions and called for an extraordinary election. Before that, board member Ural Aküzüm resigned after being referred to the disciplinary board.

1. July 2024 — Abdullah Ayaz is appointed TFF secretary general after İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu's election as president.
2. Late September 2026 — TFF board member Ural Aküzüm resigns after a disciplinary referral.
3. Early October 2026 — TFF board member Mevlüt Aktan announces his resignation.
4. 5 October 2026 — Abdullah Ayaz submits his resignation to the federation.
5. 7 October 2026 — The TFF officially announces Ayaz's resignation on its website.

TFF president İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu does not plan to resign, according to Turkish outlet 343 Digital. At the time of writing, neither Hacıosmanoğlu nor the federation had commented officially. After a run of high-profile departures, the federation's leadership is now at the centre of debate in Turkish football.

The TFF has not yet named a new secretary general. Ayaz was appointed by the board of directors, so his successor is expected to be chosen the same way. The vacancies on the board and Mevlüt Aktan's call for an extraordinary election are likely to dominate the federation's agenda in the coming weeks. ScoreLab will update this article as the story develops.