Fenerbahce Takes Legal Action Over Illegal Betting Sponsorship Claims

Fenerbahce Sports Club has taken legal action after discovering that its name, crest and corporate identity were being used without permission on three websites linked to an illegal betting platform. The operator was presented as an “official sponsor of Fenerbahce”, despite the club having no sponsorship agreement, commercial relationship or partnership with the company.

The club said it filed a criminal complaint with the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office after identifying the unauthorised use. The case was then brought before the Istanbul Anatolian 1st Criminal Judgeship of Peace, which issued an access-blocking order on September 23, 2026, under case number 2026/10330 D. İş.

Fenerbahce announced the development publicly on September 24, confirming that the legal process remains ongoing and that the three websites covered by the complaint had been blocked.

Open-Source Records Point to GrandPasha/Grandpashabet

Fenerbahce did not identify the betting operator by name in its official statement. However, archived online material linked to GrandPasha/Grandpashabet shows that the Fenerbahce name had previously appeared in promotional content using sponsorship-related language.

Posts published through channels carrying the GrandPasha brand during the 2025-26 season included the phrase “Fenerbahce Official Sponsor” alongside promotions tied to Fenerbahce matches. Similar wording appeared across more than one campaign, showing that the club’s name was used repeatedly in marketing material over an extended period.

Further records from early September 2026 also showed Fenerbahce alongside several other Turkish football clubs in sponsorship-themed promotional content associated with the platform. Those materials were circulating before the club’s legal action became public.

The distinction between the club’s official statement and the open-source findings remains important. Fenerbahce confirmed the unauthorised use of its identity and the resulting court action, while the connection to GrandPasha/Grandpashabet comes from archived promotional material and publicly accessible records.

The Three Domain Names Remain Undisclosed

Fenerbahce did not publish the domain names of the three websites included in the complaint. The full list of URLs covered by the court order has also not been made public, leaving the exact addresses unconfirmed.

Open-source records show that the platform associated with the case has operated through multiple numbered domain names that change frequently. Several addresses linked to the same betting operation appeared and disappeared within short periods during September 2026.

This type of domain rotation is commonly used by illegal betting websites after access restrictions are imposed. In this case, the pattern also matches Fenerbahce’s description of three separate websites belonging to the same platform.

Without the full text of the September 23 court decision, however, the specific domains named in case 2026/10330 D. İş cannot be established from public records alone.

Court Action Turns the Dispute Into a Formal Legal Case

The case now extends beyond misleading online advertising and involves both prosecutors and the courts. The access-blocking order confirms that the complaint has moved into a formal judicial process, while the investigation into those responsible for the unauthorised use of Fenerbahce’s identity continues.

The archived sponsorship material is also significant because it shows that the use of the club’s name was not confined to a single page or isolated promotion. Similar references appeared across earlier promotional posts before the club publicly challenged the association.

Fenerbahce said it would continue to protect its name, crest and corporate identity against unauthorised use connected to illegal betting activity. The September 23 ruling is currently the clearest legal outcome in the case, while the identities of the three blocked domains remain undisclosed.