Serdal Adalı secures third term as Beşiktaş president

Beşiktaş President Serdal Adalı secured his third term at the club after capturing 3,815 votes at the extraordinary elective general assembly held at the Sinan Erdem Spor Salonu, with reports indicating high participation among eligible members.

Serdal Adalı Secures Third Term at Extraordinary General Assembly

Serdal Adalı won his third presidential term at Beşiktaş following an extraordinary elective general assembly at the Sinan Erdem Spor Salonu in Istanbul. Out of 39,500 eligible members, 3,910 attendees cast ballots across 20 designated voting boxes during the eight-hour election marathon. Adalı ran as the sole candidate in the vote, collecting 3,815 valid ballots, while election officials recorded 37 invalid votes and 58 blank slips. The assembly opened with the national anthem, and attendees subsequently reviewed financial and administrative reports.

Board of Directors Sees Eight Changes for the New Term

The newly ratified administration sees eight departures from the previous board roster. Outgoing members include Hakan Daltaban, Kaan Kasacı, Çağatay Abraş, Zahide Esra Sayın, Merve Öztopaloğlu, Aykut Torunoğulları, İbrahim Şafak Sağlam, and Turgut Koç. President Adalı’s updated asil (principal) governing list features Murat Kılıç, Uğur Fora, Leman Özgür Rodoplu, Mithat Görkem Aksoy, Aykan Aydın, Mete Düren, Orhan Özalp, Özkan Arseven, Mehmet Sarımermer, and Arslan Küçükemre. The yedek (reserve) members comprise Toygun Batallı, Üzeyir Engin, Cengiz Sarıkaya, İpek Gençer Yağcı, and Ziya Fırat Gültekin.

Adalı Calls for League Suspension Amid Referee Inquiries

Addressing the congress following his victory, Adalı shifted focus to broader Turkish football governance and ongoing investigations involving match officials. The Beşiktaş president held discussions with rival executives regarding potential temporary suspensions. Gerekirse ara verelim. 1 hafta, 10 gün, 2 hafta ne kadarsa… Bu işi, başlanılan temizlik harekatı sonuçlanana kadar da ligler başlamasın, Adalı stated, advocating for a pause in league fixtures until governing bodies conclude their inquiries into referee operations. He added that the Turkish Football Federation’s scheduled extraordinary meeting on Tuesday would dictate the collective next steps for the Union of Clubs. Adalı noted that he held a telephone consultation with Union of Clubs President Ertuğrul Doğan regarding the agenda, adding that because several club presidents were abroad in Istanbul, further telephone traffic would take place to align all club perspectives before Tuesday. Adalı emphasized that rushing the decisions is unnecessary, stating, Çok da aceleye getirildiğini de düşünmüyorum.

Adalı Defends Squad Value and Transfer Spending

Prior to the ballot counting, the club addressed fiscal metrics during its administrative and financial review. Adalı defended the club’s transfer expenditures, noting that the board elevated overall squad value from a valuation of 140 million Euro to a significantly higher figure. He asserted that investments in new player acquisitions represent asset appreciation rather than unmanaged debt accumulation, arguing that the current player pool holds substantial market resale capacity. The assembly also formally evaluated consolidated budget projections spanning the 2026–2027 fiscal cycle. Adalı also pointed out that referee errors in matches against Alanyaspor and Amed Sportif delayed the team’s rise to the top of the standings, asserting his belief that the club will capture the championship once a fair football environment is established.

Mandatory Governance Checkpoints Scheduled Through 2028

President Adalı’s newly confirmed mandate runs through the club’s next scheduled ordinary elective general assembly in May 2028. The administration enters its new operational phase following leadership renewals stemming from the 2024 resignation of former president Hasan Arat and an intervening vote in May 2025.